Press Release
September 11, 2016

Zubiri joins millions of Muslim Filipinos in commemoration of Eidul Adha

Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri urged all Filipinos to commemorate Eidul Adha with millions of Muslim Filipinos. The EidulAdha, often called the greater holiday in Islam relative to EidilFitr, is a non-working regular holiday. Muslims observe this day as the "Festival of the Sacrifice" that commemorates the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca of our Muslim brothers and sisters.

He said, "awareness and recognition of our diversity is the first step in eliminating prejudice and bigotry."

Zubiri noted that "28.26% of the world's population, or about 2.08 billion, in the world as of 2014 observe the Eid al-Adha every year and our Muslim brethren play a very critical role in the political, social and economic scene, and in advancing the growth of our economy." In the Philippines, Muslim Filipinos constitute 5% of the 100 Million population.

Zubiri stressed that the addition of Eidul Adha as a regular holiday is akin to the holidays like Christmas, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday.

Zubiri authored Senate Resolution No. 131 enjoining everyone to respect the observance of the Muslim holiday. "In Islam, this day also marks the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, pilgrimage being one of the important pillars of their faith. The Muslim world also celebrate this day with prayers, and sharing of food, money and other basic needs for all the poor to highlight the pillar of charity which is very important in their faith."

The Executive branch through the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos issued Proclamation No. 56 declaring today as the exact day of commemorating the tenth day of Zhul Hijja -- the twelfth month of the Islamic Calendar, as Eidul Adha.

Zubiri authored Republic Act No. 9849 which declared Eidul Adha as a regular holiday for Muslim Filipinos. Eidul Adha is one of the 12 regular holidays and 3 special holidays observed nationwide. An estimate of an international Non-Government Organization place the number of Muslim Filipino followers at 10.3 million or 10% of the population.

The Philippine Congress has approved laws for the Muslim Filipinos as follows: creation of the Mindanao Development Authority, creation of the National Council for Muslim Filipinos, declaring Eidil Fitr as a holiday, and most recently, the Halal Law.

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