BARMM gov’t gearing for transnational Islamic Umrah event

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Eight regional lawmakers and the Bangsamoro Pilgrimage Authority (BPA) forged on Tuesday, October 6, an agreement outlining their individual fund support for the November Saudi Arabia Umrah pilgrimage by residents of the autonomous region.

The transnational Umrah is the yearly pilgrimage by Muslims to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

The offices of Bangsamoro parliament members Kadil Sinolinding Jr., Hatimil Hassan, Randolph Parcasio, Suaib Oranon, Said Salendab, Abdulbasit Benito, Uttoh Salem Cutan, and Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba shall help bankroll the BPA’s Umrah activities in November.

Sinolinding and his seven colleagues in the parliament signed on Tuesday a Memorandum of Agreement with the BPA, represented by its executive director, Ebrahim Ali, committing financial support, from their individual 2026 Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) allocations, for the November Umrah activities by pilgrims from across the autonomous region.

Sinolinding is also functioning, in concurrent capacity, as minister of the Ministry of Health-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. 

The Umrah support and welfare missions of the BPA shall cover pilgrims from across BARMM’s five provinces, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, and its three cities, Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato, which is the region’s capital.

Ali and his subordinate officials in the BPA told reporters on Wednesday that they are grateful to the eight BARMM parliament members who committed funds, from their respective TDIFs, for this year’s Umrah event that residents in the autonomous region are to join.

The pilgrimage to Mecca Arabia is one of the five fundamentals of the Islamic faith, which includes absolute belief in Allah, praying five times a day facing west, giving of alms to the poor, and fasting from dawn to dusk for one lunar cycle, or from 28 to 30 days, during the Ramadhan, a holy month in Islam, as a religious obligation and reparation for wrongdoings.

Sinolinding said the BARMM health ministry shall also extend essential medical and emergency support to pilgrims from the autonomous region if needed.