ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, Mindanao (SDN) — The Municipality of Balo-i, Lanao del Norte, in partnership with the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) will conduct tomorrow, March 6, 2025, a symposium revolving around “Ramadhan Islamic Sharing Da’wah” with Ms. Queenie Padilla as resource speaker.
The daughter of the only Muslim solon in the Senate, Sen. Robin “Abdulaziz” Padilla, with a party that include Samira “Sam” Gutoc, a staff of the senator, among others, flew in from Manila to honor the hosts of the one-day Ramadan event.
She is expected to speak on her life and experiences as a Muslim, and other engaging topics. Lately, Queenie “Mishael Khadijah” Padilla has been a staple of symposiums, and has been a gracious invitee.
Balo-i Municipal Mayor Hanifa P. Ali and Mayor Elias Lope Ali are co-hosts of the event, which is open to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Alexander Ali, a liaison of the Municipality of Balo-i, told SDN – SciTech & Digital News the Lanao del Norte local government unit (LGU) is home to 70 percent Muslim and 30 percent Christian population, living peacefully and harmoniously for years.
The LGU through the lady mayor, said Alexander Ali, came up with the idea of holding a symposium on Islam during the holy month of Ramadan, saying it is one of the responsibilities of a Muslim — to explain the meaning and principles and values of Islam both for Muslims and Christians.
He cited Mayor Hanifa Ali’s desire of having the “ultimate goal to give the youth of Balo-i a sense of belonging and introduce them a model among Muslims like Queenie Padilla.”
He recalled that Queenie Padilla was once a movie star, like her father, sister Kylie, and uncle Rommel, but abandoned her career as celebrity in the Philippine moviedom after embracing Islam.
“As they see Queenie Padilla, a Muslimah, speaking about her journey to Islam, our youth can emulate her,” he says.
Salam Hasaan Ali, Barangay Poblacion East Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair, and president of the Balo-i SK Federation (SKF), co-organizer of the Islamic symposium to be held at the Municipal Hall Gymnasium, said the municipality has 21 barangays (villages), each of them having 10 representatives to the SK.
Aside from the symposium, SKF president Salman H. Ali said the federation is also planning to hold sports competitions among the youth of Balo-i, chiefly basketball; literacy competition (Qur’an reading and delivery of Azan — the Islamic Call to Prayer); and to offer Iftar, the dinner to break Ramadan fasting for Muslims and non-Muslims to spread the spirit of the holy month.
When he ran as SK chair in October 2023, he said he wanted to unite the youth of the municipality as he observed that many are forming into groups.
“It would be nice to have the youth of our municipality united and in harmony in the pursuit of their wellbeing and their community,” says SKF’s Salman H. Ali.
It can be noted that Muslims in the Philippines, the at least the huge majority, started their fast on March 2 after moonsighting activities on February 28 did not yield the new crescent moon that signals the advent of every Islamic month of the Hegirah.
Thus, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) in coordination with the Darul Iftah (House of Opinion) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) declared Sunday, March 2, the first of Ramadan.
During the day-long. 30-day Muslim fast, eating, drinking, smoking, and sex in daytime is prohibited, as well as backbiting, and having evil thoughts (which are prohibited at all times).
This year, not even a morsel of food, or a puff of cigarette is allowed to get into the mouth, or it will breaks one fast. — EDD K. USMAN/SDN (/)