BEYOND BUDGET

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
 

I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful long weekend with family and friends. We had an extra day off as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) declared Monday, June 17, a regular holiday to enable all Filipinos to join our Muslim brothers and sisters in commemorating Eid’l Adha.

For those unfamiliar with the Muslim tradition, Eid’l Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is the second major Muslim festival after Eid’l Fitr. Its observance depends on the sighting of the new moon after the conclusion of the holy Hajj pilgrimage. Since the festival depends on the lunar calendar, it falls on different dates each year. In an advisory, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) announced that the Day of the Arafah, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafah to pray and repent, falls on June 15, 2024, Saturday, while Eid’l Adha falls on June 16, 2024, Sunday. 

As a daughter of Mindanao, I thank PBBM for recognizing and respecting the religious significance of Eid’l Adha for Muslims in the country. I am positive that its observance encouraged religious and cultural awareness, understanding, and acceptance. Moreover, it affirmed the President's sincerity in his call for unity and inclusivity, the hallmarks of our Bagong Pilipinas.

The Feast of Sacrifice tells the story of the Prophet Ibrahim [Alayhi Salam (AS), ‘Peace be upon him’]. In a series of dreams, Ibrahim (AS) saw himself offering his precious son Ismail (AS) as a sacrifice. He interpreted this to be a command from Allah [Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, (SWT), ‘Glorified and Exalted is He’]. When he shared the dream with Ismail (AS), his son did not hesitate and completely accepted his fate. Further, Ibrahim (AS) cast stones at Shaytan, who was urging him to defy Allah (SWT) to protect his son, in the staunch belief that the sacrifice was an obligatory act of obedience. Atop Mount Arafat,he sacrificed Ismail (AS). However, he was surprised to discover that, by Allah’s (SWT) mercy, Ismail (AS) was safe at his side, and a ram took his place.

I firmly believe Ibrahim’s (AS) act of total surrender displayed complete faith and trust in Allah (SWT) above all else, understanding that He was in control of everything, even in situations that may seem challenging or incomprehensible. I also subscribe to the idea that it was not Allah’s (SWT) desire for Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice and lose his precious son, but to be devoid of earthly attachments. 

Thus, for us Muslims, offering sacrifices is also a way for atonement, spiritual cleansing, and to show gratitude for the provisions we have been given. Early in life, I learned that giving 1/3 of the meat to those in need promotes empathy, compassion, and a feeling of community. Hence, it reinforces relationships, promotes social cohesiveness, and serves as a reminder of our mutual obligations to put other people's welfare first, especially that of the less fortunate.
 

Support for the Hajj

Eid’l Adha is celebrated on the last day of Hajj, the pilgrimage to the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Muslim tradition holds that Ibrahim (AS) and Ismail (AS) worked together to build a special place, the Sacred House or Kaaba, for prayer and praise for Allah (SWT).

Thus, Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to the Kaaba, is a fundamental principle of Islam. It is a religious obligation for physically and financially capable  Muslims to retrace the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, ‘May the peace and blessings be upon him’), Ibrahim (AS), and Hagar, representing the unity and conviction of the will of Allah (SWT). Here, people wear white cloth that symbolizes purity and equality before Allah (SWT), stripping away distinctions of wealth, status, and culture while emphasizing the unity and brotherhood of all Muslims.

In our country, the NCMF is dedicated to enhancing Philippine Hajj operations to elevate the experience for pilgrims. This includes updating manuals, establishing legal teams, improving electronic processing, creating special lanes at immigration, and expediting visa issuance. Meanwhile, pursuant to the Bangsamoro Organic Law and as mandated by the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, the Bangsamoro Pilgrimage Authority ensures the effective and timely administration and supervision of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah of pilgrims from within the region.

In an interview at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon Forum last June 14, the NCMF reported that 5,060 pilgrims were issued their visas in advance. Further, their accommodation differentials of P7,500 each were refunded ahead of time, as pushed by NCMF Secretary Sabuddin Abdurahim. In addition, the Bureau of Immigration provided the pilgrims with a special lane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when they left. The NCMF is also looking to digitalize Hajj registration and input quick response (QR) codes into Hajj identification cards to eliminate illegal activities.

To support these projects and more, the Department of Budget and Management increased the overall NCMF budget to ₱867.932 million under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of FY 2024, with ₱49.797 million earmarked for Hajj, from the ₱759.671 million allotted in the FY 2023 GAA with ₱34.489 million allotted for Hajj. 

Beyond budget, the value of Ibrahim’s (AS) story encourages us to live in righteousness, walking alongside God’s divinity despite our challenges in life. On the part of the government, now, more than ever, support for the Muslim community is gaining momentum as part of the Bagong Pilipinas directive of PBBM to institute a comprehensive approach to addressing challenges and divisions in the country. Thus, may the spirits of service, humility, unity, and selflessness shared across all faiths live in our hearts not just during special celebrations such as Eid’l Adha but in our everyday lives. 
Eid Mubarak!

(Amenah F. Pangandaman is the Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.)