Filipino-Muslims celebrate 'Feast of Sacrifice'

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino Muslims across the country yesterday celebrated Dhul Hijja, the 12th month of Islamic Calendar, in the observance of the Eid’l Adha.

Declared as national holiday as provided for in Republic Act 9849, Eid’l Adha is the tenth day in the month of Hajj or the Islamic pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

On Sunday, Muslims across the country offered prayers and sacrifices while some took part in the holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.

The pilgrimage is among the pillars of Islamic faith that a Muslim must take part in at least once in a lifetime.

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos said that for this year alone, at least 4,500 have joined the Hajj aside from 50 special guests of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz – the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

The pilgrimage is expected to start during the first week of November, depending on the location of the new moon on the Islamic calendar.

The Filipino pilgrims are there at the expense of King Abdullah.

Other guest-pilgrims will come from Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Russia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Singapore, Myanmar, Japan, Brunei, Guinea, South Korea, Maldives Islands, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, South Sudan and other African countries.

The King Abdullah program for hosting pilgrims is managed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.

Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur Rep. Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman is pushing a bill that will grant all public employees incentives and bonuses for the observance and celebration of two significant Muslim festivities – the Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha.

Pangandaman’s proposal aims to provide Muslims equal benefits and perks that all public servants enjoy during the Catholic’s celebration of Christmas every December.

“Aside from employer-given perks like the holiday/Christmas bonus, our Muslim/Christians national/local government officials and employees may likewise be allotted special bonus identified with the two-day religious observance of the Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha which involve days of fasting and celebration,” Pangandaman said.

Eid’l Fitr, or the “End of Ramadan,” is a regular holiday under RA 9177, while Eid’l Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is a non-working holiday under RA 9849.

Pangandaman believes that declaring the two Muslim festivals as holidays throughout the country was already a good move for the government, but he said his bill will further improve the government’s relationship among the Muslim community.  

The proposal aims to entitle all National Government officials and employees with at least four months of service prior to the celebration of the Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha bonus equivalent to one fourth of his/her basic salary and additional cash gift of P1,000.

Only a corresponding amount of cash gift less than P1,000, however, will be given for employees who have rendered less than four months of service.

Local government officials and employees, meanwhile, will likewise receive and enjoy the same benefits the National Government officials and employees will get.

No one, however, shall receive Eid’l Fitr/Eid’l Adha bonus that will exceed the one-month basic salary and the P1,000 cash gift, according to the proposal.

Under the same bill, employees shall receive the payment of the Eid’l Fitr/Eid’l Adha bonus on the last cut-off date of salary before the celebration of the Eid’l Adha festival of every year.

The proposal shall be known as the Eid’l Fitr/Eid’l Adha Bonus Act of 2011 once passed into law.