The Office on Muslim Affairs announced today that the first batch of its supervised Filipino pilgrims about Three Thousand to Makkah is set to leave tomorrow for Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia via a Saudi Arabian Airlines.
The first departing Three Hundred pilgrims, mostly from Lanao del Sur, will be led by thirteen Sheiks: Samsoden Alamada, Mustapha Abubacar, Abulkhair Alawi, Abdulrahman Acmad, Mustapha Abdullah, Basaroden Maruhom, Waliloden Pocaan, Saidamen Dipatuan, Omar Dimacaling, Sohayli Malambut, Jamal Balangi, Fahad Marangit and Jamaloden Abdulwahab.
Datu Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, Undersecretary/Executive Director, Office on Muslim Affairs expressed OMA’s expectation of a well-organized, better, and successful Hajj, considering the unconditional support of government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Tourism Authority, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Customs, the Manila International Airport Authority, the Saudi Airline Management, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the Philippines, and the Office of the President.
OMA Undersecretary Ampatuan cited President Arroyo’s exceptional support to the annual major Hajj saying that when she assumed the presidency, the President has been consistent in sending welfare and hajj support teams to provide assistance to the big delegation of the Filipinos joining the highly rigorous Hajj.
“The President, early in her term also sent off the pilgrims, the first time a Chief Executive of the land sent-off Muslim Filipino pilgrims. Many interpreted the event as an ominous sign of what is stored for the Muslims under the Arroyo administration”, stressed the OMA Undersecretary.
“True enough, the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has lived-up to the expectations for in every hajj year, she has ordered the Department of Budget to augment the funding of the Office on Muslim Affairs to meet financial concerns of the Official Travel of the members of the Pilgrimage Supervisory group now known as Philippine Hajj Welfare Mission, and a separate fund for the expenses of the appointed Amerul Hajj or Leader of the Pilgrims “ concluded Ampatuan.
Representative Abdulgani Salapuddin of the lone district of Basilan and Deputy Speaker for Mindanao, House of Representatives, has been designated as the Amerul Hajj of the 2004 Hajj. As Amerul Hajj, his high-level activities in the kingdom will be capped by a courtesy call to His Majesty, Fahad bin Abdulazis, the Custodian of the 2 Holy Mosques.
In a meeting held today between OMA and the Manila International Airport Authority held at the NAIA Terminal I, the parties had adopted measures aimed at ensuring a smooth and orderly movement of the pilgrims at the International Airport.
Issues about pilgrims movement from shuttle busses to the NAIA gate, then to the x-ray machine, at the lobby to check-in, in the Immigration, then in the Duty-Free area until to the Satellite Lounge were thoroughly discussed. Measures were initiated to ensure “convenient passage” of the pilgrims at the NAIA Terminal I.
The other OMA hajj flights are scheduled on January 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 23. The return flights start on February 4 and end on February 24, 2004.
Usop Z. Kasan, Director IV of the OMA Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment, expressed concerns on those pilgrims who opted to register to non-OMA entity saying their expectation of a cheaper Hajj may turn out to be a problem to haunt them in their stay in the Kingdom.
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