New Saudi-PH deal offers ‘better’ hajj for Filipinos

QUEZON CITY – The governments of the Philippines and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have agreed for a “better” conduct of hajj this year among Muslim Filipinos, according to officials pledging reforms in the annual religious event.

Representing their respective governments, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan and Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mohammad Benten signed the enabling contract in symbolic rite last Jan. 3 in the kingdom, NCMF spokesman Jun Alonto-Datu Ramos said.

The contract allocates 8,000 hajj visas for the Philippines, and better hotel billeting and transport services for Filipino pilgrims, among others.

Datu Ramos, NCMF’s external affairs bureau director, said the contract-signing followed preliminary talks by Pangarungan and Hajj Deputy Minister Dr. Sharief Housnie in Mecca, Islam’s holiest place.

The preparatory discussions were highlighted by the host officials’ decision to waive the kingdom’s “twoairline” policy at the behest of Pangarungan, who invoked the adverse effects of the 2017 Marawi City siege on the fiscal capacity of Filipino pilgrims, said Ramos, who was part of the NCMF delegation.

Such policy allows only Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) to ferry Filipino pilgrims from the country to Saudi kingdom and vice versa. With the waiver, a third airline that had offered lower flight rates in earlier meetings with Pangarungan will be allowed to serve Filipino hajj goers this year, Ramos said. (Ali G. Macabalang)