Sen. Robin Padilla appeals for support for his bills toward the benefit of the local Muslim community
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- EDD K. USMAN | X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
(SDN) — Robinhood “Abdulaziz” Padilla, the only senator who is an Islam believer, has been a pillar of the Muslim community in the Senate ever since he was elected in May 2022. In case anyone forgets, 26.6 million voters made him the number one.
He never hides his being a Muslim even in the Senate’s Plenary sessions, making it known he is the local Muslim community’s champion who always advocates, pushes, and brings to Congress’s Upper Chamber his battle to uplift the welfare of his compatriots through equality with their fellow Filipinos.
SDN – SciTech & Digital News witnessed how he champions his priorities — the welfare of Muslim Filipinos — during one of the Senate’s plenary sessions in February this year. And he had already filed bills to this effect.
Apparently, Padilla, a pillar of the Philippine movie and entertainment world, cannot do it alone. He needs support from his millions of compatriots like when they overwhelmingly elected him — joining millions of Filipino voters — to get him to the Senate.
He is asking for support.
Padilla urges everyone “to support these measures, as they are not just for us, but for the generations to come. As we mark this important occasion, let us renew our commitment to unity, progress, and justice,” the senator says in a speech read for him by Samira Gutoc, who is a director at his Senate Office.
Gutoc, a former student activist since the time of Sarah Balabagan, the Maguindanaon overseas Filipino worker (OFW) sentenced to death in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, in 1995 for killing her employer, delivered the senator’s speech at the 15th Founding Anniversary celebration of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) on March 10, 2025, at a hotel in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
Among Padilla’s many bills include:
- The Islamic Burial Act, which ensures that departed Muslims are given a dignified and proper Islamic burial without unnecessary delays and financial burdens on their families.
- The Public Muslim Prayer Room Bill, which seeks to mandate the establishment of prayer rooms in public spaces for Muslim Filipinos.
- The Hijab Day Bill, which promotes awareness and understanding of the hijab (head covering) as a symbol of faith and empowerment.
- The Sheikh Makdum Holiday Bill, which recognizes the historical contributions of Islam’s arrival in the Philippines. These bills are not just policies, they are a reflection of Muslims’ fight for recognition, dignity, and religious freedom.
As read by Gutoc, the senator said he was honored to be one with NCMF Secretary Sabuddin N. Abdurahim and the rest of the NCMF officials and personnel in the Commission’s Foundation Day celebration.
Padilla cited the NCMF’s key role in the lives of the local Muslims, saying it “is more than just an institution — it is a symbol of our collective struggle for recognition, inclusion, and equal rights in the Philippines.”
At the same time, the senator recognized the Commission’s vital role in ensuring Muslim Filipinos’ voice is heard in the promotion of the country’s Halal industry development as well as the implementation of the Shar’iah Law through the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (Presidential Decree 1083) to strengthen interfaith dialogue and ensure access to education and livelihood opportunities.
“But while we have made progress, our work is far from over,” Padilla points out.
“Muslim Filipinos still face barriers in education, employment, and religious freedom, and we must continue pushing for policies that address these challenges.”
He assured that in the Senate he is at the forefront of these efforts.
“The NCMF has been a pillar of support for our community, and with our collective efforts, we can continue building a future where Muslim Filipinos are empowered and given equal opportunities,” Padilla emphasizes. (@)