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MANILA (SDN) — More than 400 Filipino pilgrims are now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, part of the more than 5,000 from the Philippines doing Hajj 2024.
SDN – SciTech & Digital News learned this today, May 24, from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) under a genuinely reform-focused leadership of Secretary Sabuddin N. Abdurahim. He is from the island province of the Tawi-Tawi, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Abdurahim set a precedent in the annual pilgrimage when he presided over the early distribution of Hajj visas, passports, and IDs (identification cards) to pilgrims before their flights.
It broke the long problematic practice in the defunct Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) and the NCMF before Abdurahim assumed on April 1 this year the Commission’s leadership. Then, passports/Hajj visas were distributed only at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on the pilgrims’ day of flight, many times a cause of irreparable problem.
Abdurahim, also a first, also ordered the early distribution of Camp Fee differential refund in batches for this year’s 5,054 pilgrims to the tune of Php37 million. Each pilgrim stands to receive Php7,500 each. (Update: it was reported at 5,050 pilgrims. Upon checking, it is 5,054 via NCMF-BPE.)
In a mobile phone call with Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment (NCMF-BPE) Chief of Endowment Hadji Abang Marohomsalic, he told SDN the Commission has 5,050 pilgrims for this year.
He revealed that on Thursday, May 23, over 400 pilgrims left on three flights for the Kingdom on board Saudi flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, and Oman Air.
“Not one pilgrim was left behind,” Marohomsalic, chairman of the NCMF’s Hajj Awareness Program (HAP), said.
Hajj PDOS prepares pilgrims for religious journey
The NCMF-BPE official said around 400 pilgrims are scheduled to leave today, Friday, on the same three airlines, saying the Hajj operation has so far been smooth under Abdurahim’s leadership.
In a related development, the National Capital Region (NCMF-NCR) headed by Regional Director Dr. Dimapuno Alonto Datu-Ramos, Jr. has been conducting pre-departure orientation seminar (PDOS) for the departing Filipino pilgrims.
Datu-Ramos, capable former spokesman of the Commission, said the PDOS is being held at the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila, Metro Manila.
“The comprehensive PDOS in multiple locations nationwide were diligently supervised by NCMF Secretary Sabuddin N. Abdurahim to help the intending pilgrims prepare for their pilgrimage journey,” the NCMF-NCR head said.
He added the PDOS is a four-day activity on May 22, 24, 27, 29 at the Golden Mosque.
The PDOs are being conducted in collaboration with Golden Mosque Administrator Sultan Gerry Magarang and organized by Cultural Affairs Division of NCMF-NCMF headed by Chief Ismael Abdul.
Pilgrimage to Makkah is the fifth pillar of Islam. Four others are Shahaddah (Profession of Faith), Salah (5-Daily Prayers), Sawm (Ramadan Fasting), and Zakat (Obligatory Charity).
Adult Muslims are obliged to perform the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. — EDD K. USMAN (/)