A Maguindanaoan woman from Pikit, North Cotabato, placed second in the female recital category of the 64th International Al-Qur’an Recital and Memorization Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Sabuddin N. Abdurahim said the victory of Raihana G. Ambangala during the competition held on Oct. 12 is a source of national pride.
“The NCMF is proud to share not only with the Filipino Muslim community but with the whole Philippine nation the triumph of Ambangala, who represented the Philippine flag in an international arena,” he said.
“Just as Filipino athletes bring pride to the country, Filipinos who excel on a global stage—in competitions organized by reputable foreign governments like Malaysia, which has hosted this annual competition since 1961—should also be recognized. Thus, the NCMF shares this good news with the Filipino people,” he added.
Abdurahim noted that 71 countries participated in the competition, with 51 competing in the recitation category and 40 in the memorization category.
Ambangala outperformed 13 other participants in the female recitation category. Malaysia placed first, while Indonesia placed third.
Previously, Ambangala finished fifth in the same contest in 2018 and won a Qur’an reading contest in Brunei in 2015.
Ambangala, a mother of two, plans to start a small business with her prize money. “I also hope to compete again next year,” she added.
IQRC in the Philippines in 2026
Abdurahim announced that the Commission will propose hosting an International Qur’an Reading Competition (IQRC) in 2026, coinciding with the Philippines’ hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit meetings that year.
“It has been decades since the Philippines hosted an IQRC,” he said. “More than a religious undertaking, it aligns with the state policy of the 1987 Philippine Constitution to promote indigenous culture within the framework of national unity and development,” he added.
Abdurahim mentioned that the NCMF seeks to collaborate with the National Organizing Council (NOC) for the Philippines' hosting of the ASEAN Summit meetings in 2026, created through President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Administrative Order No. 17, series of 2024.
The NOC will organize, manage, and supervise all major and ancillary programs, activities, and projects related to hosting ASEAN 2026 in the country.
One of the members of the ASEAN NOC includes the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which supervises the NCMF. The DILG will lead the NOC’s Security, Peace and Order, and Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee.
Abdurahim explained that a Philippine-hosted IQRC in 2026, with participation from ASEAN Plus Three (APT)—comprising 10 ASEAN member states and the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea—is timely and supportive of the APT’s socio-cultural cooperation.
“The Qur’an is the Holy Book of Islam. It teaches peaceful living, coexistence, charity, and all other good things,” Abdurahim said.
“Promoting awareness and knowledge of Islam aligns with the government’s peacekeeping mission. A Philippine-hosted IQRC is also a celebration of Philippine diversity,” he added.
The NCMF Bureau of Muslim Cultural Affairs (BMCA) organizes the annual Regional and National Qur’an Reading competitions.
The male and female champions at the national level are the ones sent to international competitions.