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MANILA, August 14, 2026 (SDN) — The Philippines on Thursday, August 3, forged a stronger relations on Islamic affairs with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
To realize this, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da’wah and Guidance (MIADG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Commission on Muslim Affairs (NCMF) in Islam’s Holiest City Makkah.
MIADG Deputy Minister for Islamic Affairs Dr. Award bin Sabti Al-Enezi, representing MIADG Minister Sheikh Sr. Abdullatif Al-Sheikh signed the MOU, with NCMF Secretary Sabuddin N. Abdurahim doing for the Philippines.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the MOU aims “to enhance cooperation in Islamic affairs and promote the values of compassion, mercy, and solidarity.”
As the countries endeavor to strenthen bilateral ties in the field of Islamic affairs, the MOU will focus on raising cultural awareness, preserving the identity and social cohesion of Muslim communities, and promoting a balanced and tolerant understanding of Islam.
The MOU also aims to highlight Islam’s merits and it’s positions on contemporary issues, in accordance with the laws and regulations being enforced in both KSA and the Philippines.
Recall that the Kingdom under the leadership of previous royal leaders as well as today’s time of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Al-Saud and His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Islamic affairs ministry has been inviting and hosting pilgrims for free from countries around the world, both for Hajj and Umrah, including Filipinos.
The Kingdom has also been sending to the Philippines tons of dates annually every advent of Ramadhan, Islam’s holiest month.
And don’t forget, Saudi Arabia has been a host of around one million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), many of them being able to get their relatives to work in the Kingdom. Doctors, nurses, engineers, IT professionals, etc., and other skilled Filipinos as well as household workers are presently working gainfully in Saudi Arabia, which consitently been year in and year out the number one destination of OFWs.
Being managed by the NCMF and facilitated by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the country, thousands of local pilgrims travel annually to Makkah to perform the Hajj (which is obligatory to adult Muslims) and Umrah, the minor pilgrimage.
PH and KSA MOU aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
Muslims in the Philippines, a majority Catholic country, comprised of 13 ethno-linguistic Moro tribes — majority of them living in the Bangsamoro Autonous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The Balik-Islam community in the country is the 14th community group of the country’s Muslims which is some 10 percent of nearly 120 million Filipinos.
Saudi Arabia was also a major player in the peace process between the Philippine Government (GPH) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) the resulted in the signing of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA). The Kingdom also played a role in the peace process between the GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which forged the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The NCMF, which is under the Office of the President of the Philippines, but under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is the agency mandated to protect, promote, enhance, and preserve the rights of the Moros.
“The agreement builds on the longstanding diplomatic and cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines, and reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Muslim communities abroad,” the SPA report says.
Among others, the two parties’ MOU includes exchange of research, books, and scientific publications on Islamic affairs rendered in many languages; it will also facilitate a coordinated visit of Imams of the two holy mosques, such as the Masjidil Haram (Grand Mosque) in Mecca and Masjidil An-Nabawi (Prophet’s Mosque) in the holy city of Madinah; it also provides for the conduct of scientific conferences and training seminars to qualify preachers, orators, imams, and muezzins (one who calls for prayer) to improve Muslim Filipino leaders’ capabilities; facilitate scholars and specialized preachers’ participation in Islamic conferences in both countries to foster intellectual exchange and mutual understanding;
The SPA said the MOU signed by the Kingdom and the Philippines “aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2023 by strengthening the Kingdom’s Islamic outreach, showcasing it’s commitment to moderate Islam and fostering international partnerships, all central to Vision 2030.” — EDD K. USMAN / SDN (√)