MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has signed an agreement declaring the Hijo Resources Corp. (Hijo) Special Economic Zone.

The 64-hectare estate in Tagum City, Davao Del Norte boasts of a private port. With a depth of 13 meters, it is the deepest port in the Davao Gulf. Hijo is the only private non-IT Special Economic Zone in Mindanao.

The Hijo Special Economic Zone is ideal for agro-based locators requiring raw materials such as coconuts, bananas and other agricultural products. The Hijo Special Economic Zone is also ideal for non-agro locators that are labor-intensive and service-oriented, and those targeting the Southern Mindanao and the BIMP-Eaga markets.

Safe Medicines Network up

MANILA, Philippines—Top professional and industry organizations from the healthcare sector have formed a multistakeholder alliance with the recent launch of the Safe Medicines Network (SIvFN).

The highlight of the event was the signing of a memorandum of agreement by officials of the Association of Health Administrators Inc. (AHA), Ayos na Gamot sa Abot-kayang Presyo (Agap) Coalition, Drugstores Association of the Philippines (DSAP), MedExpress, Mercury Drug Corp., Pharmaceutical arid Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), Philippine Association of Pharmacists in the Pharmaceutical Industry (Pappi), Philippine Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (PCPI), Philippine Hospitals Association (PHA), Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPhA) and Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP).

RFM gets halal certification

MANILA, Philippines—Food and beverage firm RFP Corp. has secured accreditation as the first and only halal-certified meat processing plant in the country, paving the way for supplying its Swift meat products such as hotdogs or frankfurters and sausages to the Muslim consumer market, estimated at over 1.9 billion Muslims around the world.

In a disclosure, RFM president and CEO Jose A. Concepcion III said the RFM meat plant in Cabuyao, Laguna has been awarded halal certification by the Islamic Da’Wah Council of the Philippines (IDCP), the only halal certifying body in the country recognized by the World Halal Council.

“Halal” is an Arabic term meaning “permissible.” In food, it means those products that do not contain any prohibited substance, and have been prepared and processed in accordance with strict standards for purity, nutrition and quality.

RFM is currently celebrating its 50th year as a producer of a wide range of food and beverage products, including chilled meat products under the Swift brand.