Filipinos traveling to Saudi Arabia with either tourist or Umrah visa will not be allowed by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to board their flight, according to NCMF Bureau of Legal Affairs.

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• EDD K. USMAN | X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News

MANILA, May 30, 2025 (SDN) — It’s “fake news”!

They are defaming the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) and the “sheikhs” (Filipino pilgrims’ leaders).

A top official of the Commission, established through Republic Act No. 9997, relayed this to SDN – SciTech & Digital News after a potentially cyber libelous post on Facebook came out which assails the reputation of the NCMF and the sheikhs who guide pilgrims in the performance of the Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Declining to be named, the NCMF commissioner said those who made the post ought to prove their claims on where they can get a two-way Hajj plane fare to Saudi Arabia.

“Is there an airline that collects ONLY Php40,000 for a round-trip ticket (Saudi Arabia). Let them come out with their documents,” the NCMF official asks.

The official warned that the Bureau of Legal Affairs (NCMF-BLA) headed by Director Rolando ‘Rolly’ Abo is investigating the post with an eye for filing a cyber libel against those found responsible for “besmirching” the Commission’s reputation.

When an official of the Bangsamoro Economic Zone Authority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM-BEZA) — Executive Director Atty. Sukarno Paduka Abas — saw the post, he reposted it with a comment.

“Is this for real. Hopefully, if it is not true it should be answered properly. If it is true, it should be corrected by the relevant,” the BEZA official remarks.

The Facebook page by a certain “Ben Ben” claims that “HAJJ CORRUPTION IS REAL!!!

“Nagsabuatan ang NCMF at ang manga Sheikh para mka kuha ng malaking profit sa mga Filipino Hajj. Ang Hajj ay hindi BUSINESS!!

“Based sa data, kumikita ang mga Sheikh ng 200K sa bawat isang tao na sumama sakanya, ito at katumbas ng 6M kung siya ay mayroon 30 na tao sakanyang grupo. Ang kinikita naman ng NCMF ay 100K sa bawat tao, katumbas ng 3M sa isang grupo na mayroon 30 na membro,” the post claims.

The certain Ben Ben’s post said that it’s not a surprise that sheikhs are rich and have expensive cars and big houses even when they don’t have a permanent job. They made Hajj a BUSINESS with the support of the NCMF because of big commission.

The SDN reached out to Dr. Dimapuno A. Datu-Ramos, regional director of the NCMF-National Capital Region, for a reaction as he has been aware being informed by some of his relatives who are potentially victims of a scam using the pilgrimage, a sacred obligation for Muslims.

“It is so easy to make tables like that. No supporting documents. Not real. They are nothing but destroyers. The NCMF secretary is transparent, he gave all the refunds for pilgrims,” Datu-Ramos points out.

He hastened to add that it is only the NCMF that is officially through R.A. No. 9997 the agency allowed to oversee the whole Hajj operations.

“The top management of the NCMF is on top of things. An investigation is already being done by the Bureau of Legal Affairs (of the Commission),” he reveals.

Datu-Ramos indicated as well that a travel agency which failed to get an accreditation with the NCMF is suspected to behind the post that is apparently seeking to make bad issues against the Commission and the sheikhs.

He encouraged even just one person who feels aggrieved to come forward and file a formal complaint — not just make noise on social media — so the NCMF-NCR can take action. Datu-Ramos said he has been receiving complaints but without documents, which cannot be acted upon.

“We don’t act on hearsays,” the NCMF-NCR head says.

NCMF-North Luzon Regional Director Raihanah Sitti Macarimpas also issued a reaction on Ben Ben’s post, saying the post “is only making noise.”

The NCMF accredited 16 travel agencies from which pilgrims may freely choose as mandated by the NCMF Charter (R.A. No. 9997).

Other netizens have also seen Ben Ben’s post and reposted it with their own comments.

One particular comment, among many, on the post said that her father is a long-time sheikh, but he has no large house nor a car, only a motorcycle.

Over in Zamboanga City, Region 9, a post by Datu-Ramos shows a crowd of people apparently awaiting or seeking to board their flights enroute to Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025.

Attorney Abo of the BLA said they already met over the week with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Intramuros, Manila, Metro Manila, with some BI officials and informed the agency about the situation in Zamboanga City.

“As per the Bureau of Immigration, they will not allow any Filipino traveling to Saudi Arabia with either a tourist visa or Umrah visa. They told us that even if these travelers manage to get past Immigration counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal I, they will not be allowed to board their flight,” Abo tells SDN.

Earlier, the Saudi government announced the implementation of strict guidelines on visitors to the Kingdom as well as suspending the issuance of Umrah visa during the Hajj season.

Abo said an investigation is being done to ferret out those behind Ben Ben’s post with an eye for possible legal remedy.

Here’s a rejoinder on Ben Ben’s post, by Ashary Saiben Tamano, explaining the allegations:

May kumakalat na post na nagsasabing ginagawang negosyo ng NCMF at mga Sheikh ang Hajj. Totoo nga ba ito?

Bilang mga Pilipinong Muslim, karapatan nating malaman ang katotohanan—hindi lang basta haka-haka.
Narito ang malinaw na paliwanag batay sa opisyal na datos at aktwal na proseso na aking nakalap patungkol sa Hajj 2025 operation. 

 CLAIM 1: “Sheikh earns ₱200,000 profit per pilgrim, or ₱6M for 30 pilgrims.”
 FACT CHECK:
• There is no such “Sheikh collection” or personal handling of Hajj fees in the official NCMF process.

• Based on the Official NCMF Advisory:
• • The total Mutawwif fees paid directly to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah via approved channels is $3,160 (~₱175,000).
• • These cover insurance, ground services, transportation, accommodation, food, and more in Makkah, Madinah, Mina, and Arafat.

 Insight:
• Mutawwifs are not personal agents; they are licensed service providers appointed by the Saudi Government.
• Any “profit” claimed by these so-called “Sheikhs” is speculative and unsubstantiated.
• Legitimate Hajj groups operate under strict coordination with the Ministry of Hajj (KSA) and NCMF (PH).

 CLAIM 2: “NCMF is earning ₱100,000 per pilgrim, or ₱3M per group.”
 FACT CHECK:
• The NCMF does not charge a ₱100,000 commission.
• The $3,160 (₱175K) fee goes to the Saudi service providers, not to NCMF.
• NCMF’s role is regulatory and administrative—coordinating visa issuance, grouping, pre-Hajj seminars, medical screenings, and overall management.

 From the Official Hajj Advisory:
• There is no entry labeled “NCMF Commission” or “Admin Fee” in the fee structure.
• Pilgrims pay into an NCMF Hajj Trust Fund LBP Dollar Account, not a personal or private account.

 CLAIM 3: “The real cost of Hajj is only ₱98,400 based on breakdown.”
 FACT CHECK:
The ₱98,400 “Primary Hajj Expenses” listed by the misinformer are wildly inaccurate and misleading.

 Inaccuracies in his “misinformation”:

•  Roundtrip airfare at ₱40,000 is far below market prices for Manila–Jeddah roundtrips during peak Hajj season.
• • Actual airfares in June-July 2025 range from ₱60,000–₱100,000 depending on the airline and stopovers.

•  Hotel cost of ₱1,750/day shared by 4 (₱437.50 each) is unrealistic.
• • Hotels near Masjid Al-Haram and Masjid An-Nabawi charge premium Hajj season rates.
• • The official accommodation fees in Makkah and Madinah total $1,398.38 or ₱77,000+.

 ₱600/day for 3 buffet meals contradicts the official Saudi-provided packages.

• These are covered in the Mutawwif fee under categories like:
• • Housing with meals,
• • Ground services, and
• • Mashaar service package.

 CLAIM 4: “NCMF and the Sheikhs collude to treat Hajj as a business.”
 FACT CHECK:
• The NCMF is a government agency under the Office of the President, not a private travel agency.

• All fees are:
• •  Deposited to a government trust fund,
• •  Audited under COA and subject to transparency and liquidation requirements.

• Mutawwif services and packages are standardized by Saudi authorities, not set by local Sheikhs or NCMF officers.

 REALITY OF HAJJ ORGANIZATION:

• Hajj is a massive operation with:
• • Millions of pilgrims,
• • Limited accommodations,
• • Strict timelines,
• • Complex logistics,
• • Health and safety considerations.

• Costs are naturally high, especially during peak periods in Makkah and Madinah, and because of inflation and Saudi VAT (15%).

 WHY THE FAKE INFO IS DANGEROUS:
Spreading this misinformation:

• Undermines trust in a sacred process,
• Stirs hate and division,
• Demeans the efforts of Filipino public servants and Muslim leaders who ensure a smooth and dignified Hajj journey.

 BOTTOM LINE: Hajj is NOT a business — it’s a religious duty.
 The official 2025 Hajj fees are based on actual services rendered in Saudi Arabia, not on arbitrary estimates.

 Before believing or sharing accusations, always ask:
Where is the source? Is this backed by documents? Does it align with official policy and global Hajj practice?

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