An Official Visit

“When our Secretary Mehol K. Sadain and Commissioner Esmail W. Ebrahim visited us yesterday, we did not hear the rustle of wings, nor felt the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we knew their presence by the love they created in our hearts."

Aquino Appoints 5 NCMF Officials

President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed five new officials of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), paving the way for the agency's full operation addressing the welfare, needs, and concerns of its constituents, more pressingly the hajj to Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Aquino signed the appointments on March 20 2012 of the five new commissioners. They are lawyer Mehol K. Sadain (Tausug), former commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec); lawyer Edilwasif T. Baddiri (Tausug, re-appointed), Ustadhz Esmael W. Ebrahim (ulama sector); Salem C. Demuna (Kalagan), all with four-year terms; and Mirlkarl T. Allian (Sama), who will serve the remaining two-year term of the late commissioner Mufti Jaafar. Aquino later signed on April 13, 2012 the appointment of Sadain as secretary/chief executive officer of NCMF and also as "amirul hajj" (head of Philippine Hajj Mission) for Hajj 2012. The Office of Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr., transmitted Friday afternoon to the NCMF their appointment papers. Then, NCMF Executive Director Siti Djalia T. Hataman handed the appointments to them Saturday. Sadain said they will assume office today, Monday, and the commission will immediately address brewing concerns on the arrangements for this year's pilgrimage, among other issues. "The commission will do its utmost to address soonest and remedy any situation about the pilgrimage," said Sadain. Ebrahim said all five of them took their oath of office Sunday at 9 a.m. before Sandiganbayan Justice Rafael Lagus. This developed as outgoing NCMF Secretary Bai Omera D. Dianalan Lucman said she has been ready to turn over the reins of office to her successor. Lucman will remain as commissioner for the remainder of her four-year term ending 2014.

38th Regional Qur'an Reading Competition

In a demonstration of religious tolerance and harmony, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), and the local government units (LGUs) of Compostela Valley jointly conducted the 38th Regional Qur'an Reading Competition for Region-11 with 13 participants.

NCMF Secretary Bai Omera D.Dianalan lauded the cooperation shown by the provincial government and the municipal government of Mabini for the holding of the event that was sponsored and hosted by Compostela Valley led by Governor Arturo T. Uy and Mabini Municipal Mayor Hadji Amer Munoz.

Regional Director Galay M. Makalinggan, in his speech, thanked all who extended efforts towards the success of the Qur'an Reading Competition especially all the Aleems and Ustadz who brought with them their delegates from their respective area to witness and support their participant to the competition. He highlighted in his speech the objective of the annual conduct of the Qur'an Competition, which is the preservation of our Islamic heritage and to promote the appreciation of our culture in perpetuating the Islamic Values.