Fatima’s Filipino Halal, located in Greenhills, is aiming to serve a growing segment of travelers seeking halal-certified food in a region that has historically lacked such options. The restaurant is a partnership between the Mama Lou’s Group and Mango Tree Restaurants, and its founders say it was created with inclusivity and interfaith understanding in mind.
A newly opened restaurant in one of Metro Manila’s busiest commercial areas is taking the lead in a nationwide push to make the Philippines more inviting for Muslim travelers by serving authentic halal Filipino dishes.
“Fatima is a name that is sacred to both Muslims and Christians,” said Eric Teng, founder of the restaurant and former president of RestoPh. “Our Lady of Fatima is revered in Catholicism, and Fatima is also the beloved daughter of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Halal, an Arabic term meaning “permissible,” refers to food that is prepared according to Islamic dietary laws. Although about 12 percent of the Philippine population is Muslim, halal dining options are relatively rare in upscale commercial areas like Greenhills, which draws Muslim tourists and shoppers from across the region.
Fatima’s Filipino Halal serves traditional Filipino dishes such as adobo and sinigang, prepared according to halal standards. Among the restaurant’s more distinctive offerings are chicken pianggang inasal — a fusion of Tausug-style spices and Bacolod’s vinegar-based marinade — and beef kulma, a Mindanaoan-style curry stew similar in texture to kare-kare.
“All our ingredients come from halal-certified suppliers, and our processes follow halal guidelines,” Teng said.
The restaurant is part of a broader movement aligned with efforts by the Department of Tourism to attract more Muslim travelers. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has said the department is working to enhance infrastructure and services tailored to Muslim visitors.
International arrivals from Muslim-majority countries increased by 120 percent from 2022 to 2023, reaching nearly half a million visitors, according to the Department of Tourism. Neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia have long dominated the region’s halal tourism market.
Industry advocates have urged the Philippines to catch up, citing both economic opportunity and cultural heritage. Teng is among those calling for the creation of halal food courts and certified halal zones in malls and transportation hubs.
“Halal cuisine should be as normalized as Chinese or Italian food,” he said. “There are more Muslims than Italians in the Philippines, and yet halal food is harder to find.”
The restaurant has drawn interest from diplomatic and business communities, including a recent visit from the ambassador of Indonesia, according to its founders.
While expansion is already under discussion, Teng said the broader goal is to raise awareness about the country’s halal culinary heritage, particularly from the Mindanao region, home to many of the Philippines’ Muslim communities.
“Our halal heritage must be restudied and reintroduced,” he said. “There’s so much about Muslim Filipino culture that people don’t understand.”
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