OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
NATIONAL COMMISSION ON MUSLIM FILIPINOS
OFFICE OF THE HAJJ ATTACHÉ

PRESS STATEMENT
14 July 2022

Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh!

The Office of the Haj Attaché at the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is pleased to inform the public, particularly the relatives of the Filipino pilgrims, that as of this writing, the total number of Hajj pilgrims who arrived safely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia via the two ports of entry, the Madinah and Jeddah airports, is 3,337. This number matches the total number of paid pilgrims who applied for the 2022 Hajj.

The pilgrims are billeted in hotels close to Masjid’il Haram, and their food is also provided. They are attended to by the NCMF Supervisory, Medical Team, and this Office, except for one casualty that the Medical Team reported by the name of Saidula M. Aminulla, whose cause of death was due to cardiac arrest. He was on his way to Haram with his family when he suddenly collapsed.

After knowing of the incident involving about six hundred (600) overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who attempted to perform their Hajj were arrested by Saudi authorities due to lack of all the necessary documents, the NCMF created a fact-finding committee to look into the incident. The investigation is ongoing at the moment.

The Fact-finding committee is headed by Director Malo B. Manonggiring with Haj Attaché as the vice-chair.

Also, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Motawifs Pilgrims for Southeast Asian Countries (MOASSASSA), a private company and the most prominent Hajj Service Provider in the Kingdom, is investing in the Philippines. Projects that will create jobs and means of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of Filipinos will be opened.

MOASSASSA is expected to hire one (I) million Filipino professionals over a period of three (3) years and the NCMF is committed to screening the applicants for the purpose in the next three (3) months and will submit its result to MOASSASSA for their immediate hiring.

For your information. Thank you.

(SGD) AHMAD M. BALINDONG
Hajj Attaché

NOTED BY:

(SGD) MALO B. MANONGGIRING
Director, Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment