04 September 2014 - Forty-six (46) Muslim Filipinos who represent the first batch of the Filipino pilgrims for the Hajj this year arrived at the Hajj Terminal in Jeddah at around 9:00 a.m. today. Philippine Consulate General officials led by Consul General Leo Tito L. Ausan Jr. were on hand to welcome them. Also present to assist the pilgrims were the Supervisory Team of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) led by Director Malo Manonggiring.

While the pilgrims, who are mostly from the Lanao provinces, were surprised by the hot weather in Jeddah, they were nevertheless happy to have arrived safely and eager to start their pilgrimage. Many of them, including several elderly participants, are making the pilgrimage for the first time. Consul General Ausan wished them luck and expressed hope that their spiritual aspirations will be fulfilled through their pilgrimage. After going through the usual clearing process, they boarded a bus bound for the holy city of Madinah, which they will reach by early evening.

A bigger delegation, composed of 247 Filipino pilgrims is also scheduled to directly plane in to Madinah today at around 11:10 p.m. Consulate officials led by Consul Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan will be on hand to welcome them.

Around 6,700 Filipino pilgrims are set to go on Hajj this year. The NCMF has sent a 17-man advance team or supervisory group to assist the pilgrims. The team is divided into sub-groups deployed in Jeddah, Madinah and Makkah (Mecca). Aside from the Advance Team, the NCMF has dispatched a 10-man advance medical team, composed of doctors and nurses, to look into the medical needs of the pilgrims. The medical team, which will be based mainly in Makkah, is headed by Dr. Dimapuno A. Datu-Ramos. NCMF Secretary Yasmin Busran Lao herself also went to the Kingdom from August 23 to 26 to finalize arrangements for the Hajj.

Henceforth, the Filipino pilgrims will be arriving in Jeddah and Madinah on a daily basis. The last batch is expected to arrive in Jeddah on September 24. END