RIYADH, 16 May 2005 — Muslim Affairs Undersecretary Zamzamin L. Ampatuan is currently in the Kingdom on an invitation from Haj Minister Fouad Al Farsi to discuss the next year’s arrangements for Haj, according to Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla.
Guinomla hosted a reception for Ampatuan at the Philippine Embassy on Thursday night, with the members of the Filipino community in attendance.
Ampatuan is also the executive director of the Philippine Office of Muslim Affairs.
He was impressed by a cultural presentation of a Filipino Muslim group that he pledged to donate one set of kulintang, a Filipino musical instrument which was used during the presentation. The instrument costs some 47,000 pesos per set.
Talking to Arab News, Ampatuan said that he would discuss with Al-Farsi in Jeddah the general arrangement during the next Haj in January, during which some 3,700 Filipino pilgrims are expected.
“We’ll inform Minister Al-Farsi about the number of Filipino pilgrims this year and he’ll brief us on any new regulation just in case there is an outbreak of a disease and what kind of vaccination would be administered,” Ampatuan said. He said that he’ll also be meeting with officials of the Muslim World League (Rabita) regarding accommodation standards, which are changed every year, as well as the vaccination program.
“This year, the Kingdom may increase the accommodation requirements so our pilgrims have to be informed accordingly. I will also hold talks with the Transport Syndicate with which bus service is booked,” he said. Asked about the amount each pilgrim spends, Ampatuan gave the figure of $1,860, which includes everything from air fare and a monthlong stay at Mina and Arafat.
“Filipinos pay the least cost among pilgrims from the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries. That’s because we have only one category set at a minimum rate,” he said.
