MANILA: On Sunday, Filipino Muslims will start their pilgrimage to Makkah in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj — a pinnacle in every Muslim’s life.
Each year, two to three million people who are able to undertake the journey descend on Islam’s holiest city to deepen their faith and cleanse themselves of their sins.
This year, 5,800 Muslims from the Philippines will make the trip, according to Omar Mandia, chief administrative officer at the Office of the Hajj Attache, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
Aside from the Filipino Muslims, some foreign diplomats will be among the delegates from the Philippines.
“There are diplomats who want to join us. They are requesting to be included. These are from the Libyan Embassy, UAE and Iran. They want to join us,” Mandia told Arab News.
“They can just arrange for their Hajj visa but they need to be accommodated in our housing and space in Mina and Arafat,” Mandia continued, as he explained that housing accommodation for pilgrims is done country-to-country, which means that the NCMF has to write a request to the Ministry of Hajj for additional slots to accommodate the diplomats.
In 2017, a total of 6,032 Filipino Muslims performed Hajj, but the number has fallen slightly this year.
“Last year, we had a bigger number of pilgrims from the Philippines, but we’ve reduced it... because of stringent visa requirements,” said Mandia.
An incident in 2016 when dozens of Indonesians were intercepted using Filipino Hajj passports en route to Makkah, prompted the authorities to introduce tight measures to ensure that no other nationalities join the Philippine contingent’s pilgrimage.
“That’s one reason why they’ve been very strict on securing the passports. They don’t want a repeat of that controversy. We are still bearing the consequence of that anomaly,” said Mandia. “We have assured them (Saudi authorities) that we have taken steps in order to prevent that from happening again,” he added.
Of the 5,800 Filipino Muslim pilgrims, the majority are from Cotabato and Lanao provinces, and include pilgrims from war-torn Marawi City.
Mandia, who will also be performing Hajj this year, added: “I’m from Marawi. Our house was destroyed during the siege. We are still not allowed to go back as it is a restricted site even today. They said there are still live bombs there you could step on and get killed.”
When he performs the pilgrimage he said that it would be “a sigh of relief after all those problematic days,” referring to the five-month battle in Marawi.
On average, a Filipino Muslim spends up to 200,000 pesos on Hajj. Some lawmakers sponsor Hajj for those who would not otherwise be able to afford to make the trip, especially those from Marawi City who suffered major devastation during the siege.
The first two batches of pilgrims are scheduled to leave on July 22 on a Saudi Airlines flight. The country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), also has direct flights to take pilgrims from the Philippines to Madinah.
“Last year they (PAL) were not able to get landing permit, so we had to land in Kuwait and an airline in Kuwait flew them to Madinah. Now they have been able to secure a landing permit so they will be transporting pilgrims directly from Philippines to Madinah,” said Mandia.
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Nearly 6,000 Filipino Muslims to perform Hajj this year
Nearly 6,000 Filipino Muslims to perform Hajj this year
- Each year, two to three million people who are able to undertake the journey descend on Islam’s holiest city to deepen their faith and cleanse themselves of their sins.
- This year, 5,800 Muslims from the Philippines will make the trip, according to Omar Mandia, chief administrative officer at the Office of the Hajj Attache, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
Costa Rica’s Grynspan pledges reform in bid for UN chief job
GENEVA: Rebeca Grynspan is upbeat about her chances of becoming the next head of the United Nations, which she insists must become more agile in tackling the world’s crises.
The Costa Rican former vice president said she wanted to rebuild global trust in the United Nations if she becomes its next secretary-general.
“We are very optimistic. I think that I am more than a viable candidate,” Grynspan said on Friday, her last working day before stepping aside as head of the UN trade and development agency UNCTAD to focus on her campaign.
The second term of current UN chief Antonio Guterres expires at the end of the year.
“My profile is right for this moment. I know the UN enough to reform it and enough to defend it,” she told the UN correspondents’ association ACANU.
“I have a lot of experience in my political life, taking decisions under a lot of stress and in complex situations. I have been in the highest positions in the UN.”
It is Latin America’s turn next for the top UN job and two other candidates are running: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, and Rafael Grossi, the Argentinian head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Founded in 1945, the UN has never had a woman secretary-general.
Grynspan, an economist, is not looking to be chosen on that basis.
“I don’t need any favors to be elected for the secretary-general; I just need people not to discriminate me for being a woman,” the 70-year-old said.
“If the competition will be fair, with no biases, I will make it. I have the CV; I have the merits.”
- Rebuilding trust -
Last month, Guterres warned that the UN was facing financial collapse and could run out of cash by July, with member states neither paying in full nor or time.
“The UN has to change,” said Grynspan.
There are far greater capacities in civil society and the private sector than in 1945, “and we need to be able to harness that: we don’t have to do everything in the UN.”
As for peace and security, “prevention and mediation are essential. But they need agility and flexibility from the structures of the UN. And I don’t think we have that right now.”
US President Donald Trump has slashed funding to some UN agencies and has repeatedly questioned the UN’s relevance and attacked its priorities, setting up his own “Board of Peace.”
“The UN is unique because it’s the only legitimate, universal organization,” said Grynspan.
“We need to rebuild trust with the member states. We need to regain the belief that the UN is useful to solve problems,” she said, vowing to bring her personal qualities to the task.
“I am able to reach to people not only with logic, but also with inspiration, optimism and hope,” she said.
“We need more of that too, because we need to connect again much more with people. We will need to conquer the hearts and minds again.”
- Leadership style -
The UNCTAD chief said her leadership style revolved around being “direct, honest, and evidence-based... There have to be reasons, not only emotions.”
Grynspan recounted that her parents, who were from Poland, “barely survived” World War II. Her maternal grandparents were killed in the Holocaust.
Her parents went “with nothing” to Costa Rica, a country that “allowed them to have a good life.”
“Costa Rica has taught me a lot. It’s a country that I not only love dearly, but I admire,” she said.
“I am not an impetuous person. I think things through. I have the serenity not to lose it under tension and under pressure. I consult. I hear. And I am brave. I take risks.”
rjm/ceg
The Costa Rican former vice president said she wanted to rebuild global trust in the United Nations if she becomes its next secretary-general.
“We are very optimistic. I think that I am more than a viable candidate,” Grynspan said on Friday, her last working day before stepping aside as head of the UN trade and development agency UNCTAD to focus on her campaign.
The second term of current UN chief Antonio Guterres expires at the end of the year.
“My profile is right for this moment. I know the UN enough to reform it and enough to defend it,” she told the UN correspondents’ association ACANU.
“I have a lot of experience in my political life, taking decisions under a lot of stress and in complex situations. I have been in the highest positions in the UN.”
It is Latin America’s turn next for the top UN job and two other candidates are running: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, and Rafael Grossi, the Argentinian head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Founded in 1945, the UN has never had a woman secretary-general.
Grynspan, an economist, is not looking to be chosen on that basis.
“I don’t need any favors to be elected for the secretary-general; I just need people not to discriminate me for being a woman,” the 70-year-old said.
“If the competition will be fair, with no biases, I will make it. I have the CV; I have the merits.”
- Rebuilding trust -
Last month, Guterres warned that the UN was facing financial collapse and could run out of cash by July, with member states neither paying in full nor or time.
“The UN has to change,” said Grynspan.
There are far greater capacities in civil society and the private sector than in 1945, “and we need to be able to harness that: we don’t have to do everything in the UN.”
As for peace and security, “prevention and mediation are essential. But they need agility and flexibility from the structures of the UN. And I don’t think we have that right now.”
US President Donald Trump has slashed funding to some UN agencies and has repeatedly questioned the UN’s relevance and attacked its priorities, setting up his own “Board of Peace.”
“The UN is unique because it’s the only legitimate, universal organization,” said Grynspan.
“We need to rebuild trust with the member states. We need to regain the belief that the UN is useful to solve problems,” she said, vowing to bring her personal qualities to the task.
“I am able to reach to people not only with logic, but also with inspiration, optimism and hope,” she said.
“We need more of that too, because we need to connect again much more with people. We will need to conquer the hearts and minds again.”
- Leadership style -
The UNCTAD chief said her leadership style revolved around being “direct, honest, and evidence-based... There have to be reasons, not only emotions.”
Grynspan recounted that her parents, who were from Poland, “barely survived” World War II. Her maternal grandparents were killed in the Holocaust.
Her parents went “with nothing” to Costa Rica, a country that “allowed them to have a good life.”
“Costa Rica has taught me a lot. It’s a country that I not only love dearly, but I admire,” she said.
“I am not an impetuous person. I think things through. I have the serenity not to lose it under tension and under pressure. I consult. I hear. And I am brave. I take risks.”
rjm/ceg
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