Press Release
September 3, 2009

Zubiri rallies improved handling of plight of Filipino Muslims

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Thursday reiterated his commitment to the improvement and development of Filipino Muslim as he stressed the necessity of addressing the needs and concerns of Mindanaoans.

"While the peace accord between the government and the MILF has not been forged despite the nine years negotiation, I believe, as a Mindanaoan, that it is equally important that all issues facing Muslim communities are properly addressed," he said.

"I think it can be done by revisiting the charter of the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) which was created in 1987, on the principle that all issues facing our Muslim brothers will be amply addressed," he added.

OMA was created in 1987 pursuant to Executive Order 122-A, in which its primary mandate is to improve the conditions of Filipino Muslims, and address various issues affecting the Muslim communities.

In line with this, Zubiri introduced Senate Bill 2089, or the bill creating the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, which would take over the functions of OMA, among them the preservation and development of Muslim culture, traditions, institutions and well-being.

"It's been over 20 years since the organization of this office and I can see now the need to revisit the charter of Muslim affairs and at the same time expands its mandate," he explained.

The senator likewise recommended the approval of Senate Bill 3187 or the bill seeking to declare Eidul Adha as a national holiday.

He said: "As the Filipinos recognized the Holy Week for Catholic Christian believers and the recently enacted Republic Act 9645 or the law declaring every July 27 of each year as a Special National Working Holiday for the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), we should also give equal importance to our Muslim brothers and sisters' Festival of Sacrifice."

He explained that Eidul Adha is equally important to Eidul Fitr in the Islamic celebration. Eidul Fitr is the first day of Shawwal, while Eidul Adha is the end of the 30-day fasting period of Ramadan. This year, the Ramadan period will end on September 19.

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