NCMF says Hajj 2023 has no age limit; Hajj 2022, only below 65 years old were allowed to perform pilgrimage to Makka
By EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News
MANILA (SDN) — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will allow all age brackets to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah in 2023.
In the pilgrimage earlier in 2022, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj did not allow pilgrims who were 65 years old and above because of the coronavirus pandemic.
For the Philippines, pilgrims and their “sheikhs” (pilgrims’ leaders) can start registering online on January 02, 2023, for the next pilgrimage.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) announced the other day the start of online registration.
Lawyer Guiling “Gene” A. Mamondiong, secretary/CEO of the NCMF, called on Filipinos who plan to perform next year’s pilgrimage to always take note of new developments from the NCMF.
There are rules and regulations that pilgrims must follow and adhere to for an orderly conduct of the registration in the Philippine end of the Hajj operation, he pointed out.
Mamondiong also thanked the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Health (DOH), Bureau of Immigration (BI), and Bureau of Quarantine (BQ), and other government agencies for their assistance in the Hajj operation.
“Without our partners, it will be very difficult for the NCMF and Filipino pilgrims to successfully conduct our end of the pilgrimage,” said Mamondiong.
In the 2023 Hajj Advisory of the Commission issued on December 22, 2022, BER Acting Director Malo Manonggiring said those intending to perform the pilgrimage as well as their hajj leaders were advised to register with the NCMF’s Hajj Portal here.
“All intending pilgrims of all ages (emphasis by SDN — SciTech and Digital News), accredited sheikhs and concern stakeholders, please be notified of this Commission’s following important policies and timeline relevant to a successful 2023 Hajj/Pilgrimage,” he advises.
Below are the schedules and requirements Manonggiring was referring to:
- Deadline for Online Registration & Submission of Passports to CHOC-BPE: March 22, 2023
- Deadline for the Payment of Hajj Services Fee (Mutawiff, amount to be announced later): April 14, 2023
- Vaccine Requirements: (Covid-19 Vaccine with Booster, Flu & Meninggococcal)
He also said that next year’s pilgrimage is open to Muslim Filipinos of all ages as there is “No Age Restrictions”.
Manonggiring told SDN — SciTech and Digital News the cost of the pilgrimage for Filipinos is not yet determined as of now.
“We will know the cost of the pilgrimage per person at the International Hajj Conference on January 2-9 next year in Saudi Arabia,” the BER chief said.
It can be recalled that every year the Kingdom is conducting the Hajj Conference, inviting from every pilgrim-sending country its hajj officials to discuss issues and concerns pertaining the religious activity.
It is also the time when the Saudi Ministry of Hajj determines how many pilgrims each country may send for the pilgrimage to Makkah.
The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, which every adult Muslim (male or female) is obliged to complete once in their lifetime. That’s if they are physically, mentally, and financially capable (preferably without incurring debts).
Mamondiong, Manonggiring and other concerned NCMF officials are expected to participate in Hajj Conference in Saudi Arabia.
In the 2022 pilgrimage, there were 4,196 Filipino registrants and 3,617 were issued Hajj visa.
In pre-pandemic time, Saudi Arabia allowed 1,000 pilgrims for every one million Muslim population of any country. (/)
is there any breakdown of ground services fee
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