MOVEMENT RESTRICTION IN LANAO DEL SUR EASED FOR RAMADAN WELCOME

ILIGAN CITY—The provincial government of Lanao del Sur has suspended the implementation of the “No Movement Sunday” for April 11 to give way to the moon sighting for Ramadan.

The restriction of residents to their homes on Sunday was a policy adopted to help curb the rise of coronavirus infections in the province, which has been placed under general community quarantine by the national government until April 30.

Jenny Tamano, Lanao del Sur provincial information officer, said the temporary lifting of the measure was aimed to give the people enough opportunity to welcome and prepare for the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta, the Islamic religious authority in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, has set the moon sighting in the early evening of Sunday, April 11.

Monthlong observance

The result of moon sighting is set to be announced by 8 p.m. that day, to herald the official start of Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

During the monthlong observance, Muslims will abstain from taking in food and water from sunrise up to dusk.

The “No Movement Sunday” policy was imposed in September last year and was lifted in January.

Lanao del Sur leaders decided to reimpose it as cases spiked during the first week of April. Among those who has tested positive for COVID-19 was Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra.

As of April 10, there are 107 active cases in the province, of which 105 are attributed to local transmission of the virus.