JEDDAH, 23 February 2003 — A Philippine congressman has said he will lobby in Manila for the creation of a Haj attache’s post in Saudi Arabia.
Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo, who belongs to Lanao del Norte province in the southern Philippines, made the promise last week when the community gave a reception at the Philippine Consulate.
Community members said a Haj attaché is needed to focus on arrangements for the annual pilgrimage since the Philippine Haj Amerul, who is usually the head of the Office of Muslim Affairs, is based in Manila.
“I’ll be forwarding the demand to President Gloria Arroyo in person on my return to Manila,” Dimaporo told the meeting.
Dimaporo said a total of 3,137 Philippine pilgrims performed the recent Haj. Asked why there was a drop in their number this time, he told Arab News: “That’s due to the devaluation of pesos. The cost of Haj for a Philippine pilgrim has gone up to 90,000 pesos, 20 percent more than last year’s 70,000 pesos. The Philippine government financially supports only 150 Haj pilgrims every year.”
In his address Dimaporo thanked the Kingdom for its elaborate arrangements and facilities at the holy sites that enabled pilgrims to perform the Haj.
According to him, two Filipinos died during the annual pilgrimage, one of them due to a road accident.
Among the speakers during the traditional reception at the consulate were Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla, Undersecretary and OMA Executive Director Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Abdulghani Salapuddin, and Prof. Taha M. Basman, a commissioner of UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines.
The meeting began with the reading of the Holy Qur’an by Nasser Kulod and ended with supplication by Montaser Pasandalan. Mohamad Taha A. Guinomla, administrative officer at the consulate, conducted the proceedings.