Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman. (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has filed a resolution seeking an investigation of the issues faced by Muslim Filipinos going on a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
On Tuesday, Hataman’s office released copies of House Resolution No. 22, which was filed on Monday.
If adopted by the House during the plenary session, the resolution would assign the appropriate committee to check on the problems encountered by the pilgrims — particularly being barred from leaving the country.
“We would like to know if we have a problem in the process of coordination, if the law would have to be amended to resolve this, or if it’s time that we look at and imitate the models that other countries have set in dealing with the hajj,” Hataman said in Filipino.
“We do not wish to lay blame. We only want to avoid a repeat of this mishap. It’s our wish to improve the experience of our Muslim brothers in their hajj pilgrimage,” he added.
Previously, Hataman called on the 19th Congress to review the hajj coordination program of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) after around 1,000 pilgrims got stranded in the country despite having tickets and passes.
Hataman said the issue should be checked because many Muslims use their life savings just to make the pilgrimage, only to fail because of a lack of coordination.
Other bills
Hataman said he also filed four bills on Monday that would benefit Basilan, namely:
- a bill establishing the Basilan Medical Center to upgrade the Basilan General Hospital
- a bill creating the Basilan Science High School
- a bill creating the Basilan Sports Academy
- a bill initializing a multi-species hatchery in Basilan’s capital Isabela City
Noting that it was his second term as representative of Basilan, Hataman said he would focus on improving the health, education, and livelihood of his constituents.
“Basilan has been able to overcome its bad image of terrorism. And the economy and tourism have started to come to life again in our province. We just need to complement the progress of our citizens with the appropriate proposals that will support them in their recovery,” Hataman said.
—WITH A REPORT FROM ANDY HOO (TRAINEE)
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