NCMF News:
Guest author:
- DR. DIMAPUNO A. DATU-RAMOS, Director, Bureau of External Relations (NCMF-BER)
Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-g93
QUEZON CITY — National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Saidamen B. Pangarungan was appointed for the fourth consecutive year by President Rodrigo R. Duterte as Amirul Hajj to lead the 2022 annual Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
“This indicates that the Philippine government gave its go signal to proceed with the Hajj,” noted Secretary Pangarungan.
Under Republic Act 9997, the NCMF Secretary shall be the Amirul Hajj. He is the official representative of the President, and the leader of all Filipino Muslim pilgrims, in the annual pilgrimage.
Roughly, “amirul hajj” is translated as “head of Hajj Mission”. Each country that sends pilgrims for the Makkah pilgrimage appoints an amirul hajj to lead them.
Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment (NCMF-BPE) Director Malo Manonggiring expressed optimism that the pilgrimage will likely push through for foreigners this year. With the President’s appointment, Secretary Pangarungan is praying that Filipinos will be able to participate in the 2022 Hajj.
New protocols following the Omicron surge might be released by the Saudi Health Ministry, and the NCMF is likewise preparing through Hajj Awareness Programs (HAP) for the accredited sheikhs.
The pandemic had forced the Saudi government to limit pilgrims for the 2021 Hajj.
Secretary Pangarungan expressed his sincerest gratitude to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Senator Christoper Lawrence “Bong” Go, and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea II, for their continued trust and confidence in his stewardship of the Commission, reflected in his reappointment as Secretary for a second term last 2020.
For 2021, the NCMF attained an ISO 9001:2015 Certification under Secretary Pangarungan.
He vowed to continue priority programs as mandated by the NCMF Charter, to include:
1. Relief operations to all Muslim communities in need of assistance through partner agencies and organizations.
2. Establishing Muslim cemeteries and Muslim Consultative Councils in non-Muslim cities and provinces outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
3. Peace-building programs in support of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) and ELCAC
4. Shariah, Halal, Madrasah promotion and development
5. Improvement in Hajj delivery services, especially with the e-Hajj registration for this year
6. Development and implementation of the
e-CTM (electronic Certificate of Tribal Membership), or the digitization of the certificate.
Alhamdulillah! (✓)
Public Relations and Information Division,
BER-NCMF
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Featured image of Ka’aba at Makkah Grand Mosque by Konevi on Pixabay.