MindaNews / 29 October — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) pushed the development of the halal industry anew to help fuel the economic growth of the region.
The region’s halal industry hogged the spotlight, as well as coffee and coconut products, for the first-ever BARMM Expo 2025 mounted by the Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT).
Themed “Empowering Consumers, Advancing Halal Industry, and Promoting Local Industries for a Resilient Bangsamoro,” the three-day event kicked off Tuesday in a bid to further harness the BARMM as an investment and trade destination in the country.
MTIT Minister Farserina Mohammad urged the different Bangsamoro ministries, private sector and foreign partners to continue working together to strengthen the region’s halal industry as well as support the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the region.
“We must make sure that the growth we create is inclusive, that no one is left behind,” she said in a speech.
Mohammad said they mounted the expo to show that the Bangsamoro region “is not just keeping up, we’re moving forward, guided by integrity, creativity, and our shared identity as a proud Muslim community.”
She noted the Bangsamoro people are facing a new episode, with the armed struggle a thing of the past.
“But now, in this new jihad, we have been given a historic opportunity to transform sacrifices into sustainable development, convert struggle into governance,” she said.
“Let us honor the past not by returning to war, but by rising in service. Let us retell our story by making history now as a progressive Bangsamoro grounded by faith, she added.
One of the highlights during the opening day was the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the MTIT and selected MSMEs from Cotabato City, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi.
The partnership , Mohammad said, provides subsidy support for halal certification fees, capacity-building, and assistance in halal audits — empowering local enterprises to compete in the global market.
Rosslaini Alonto-Sinarimbo, MTIT director general, said the BARMM Expo 2025 is a celebration of the region’s dynamic industries and the people who bring them to life — the farmers, entrepreneurs, consumers, and innovators.
“It is [our] vision to build a future where every Bangsamoro consumer is informed and empowered, and every producer has the opportunity to grow and thrive,” she said.
Aside from domestic partners, representatives from international groups graced the expo’s opening ceremony, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the European Union.
Their representatives reaffirmed support for the region’s trade and economic initiatives.
The BARMM Expo 2025 is being held at the KCC Mall Convention Center in Cotabato City. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
