JEDDAH, 27 December 2005 — More than half of the expected 3,000 pilgrims from the Philippines have arrived in the Kingdom, data obtained from the Philippine Consulate yesterday showed.
A total of 1,947 pilgrims, mostly from Marawi City and the Lanao provinces in Mindanao, arrived in batches on Dec. 9, 11, 14, 16, 19, and 21.
Among those who came early was Gov. Datu Pax Mangudadatu of the province of Sultan Kudarat, designated as the “Amerul Hajj” (head of pilgrims) for 2006.
Four medical doctors, led by Dr. Alejandritos Descallar, are part of the delegation from the Philippines to assist the pilgrims for the duration of their stay in the Kingdom during the Haj season, the consulate said.
Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla and Consul General Pendosina Lomondot were at the Madina International Airport to welcom those who came on Dec. 9 and 11 flights on board Saudi Arabian Airlines flights from Manila.
Arab News learned that all the pilgrims safely made it to their quarters in Misfalah Area, some two kilometers away from the Holy Mosque “Haram,” except for Miss Minamira Pangalbat Bacarat, who lost her passport.
Through the Ambassador Guinomla’s intervention, however, the woman from Marawi City was allowed entry just the same.
She was traveling with her uncle Khusary Mukhtar for this pilgrimage.
An OFW passenger of the Saudia Flight Number 863 bound to Jeddah from Madinah found Bacarat’s passport and surrendered the same immediately to flight attendants. However, it was too late to return the passport to its rightful owner, as the plane’s door was already shut for take off.
The passport was retrieved later in Jeddah by consulate personnel.
Because of the incident, Guinomla requested officials of the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) to remind pilgrims to double check their travel documents before boarding their flights to avoid any inconvenience.