By Masiding Noor Yahya and Julmunir I. Jannaral

MANILA — July 20, 2021, a Tuesday, is most likely a national non-working holiday after the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) has recommended to the Office of the President to declare it as a national holiday in observance of this year Eid’l Adha (Islamic feast of sacrifice).

NCMF Secretary Saidamen B. Pangarungan said NCMF’s recommendation to the Office of the President to declare July 20, 2021, as a national holiday is based on the provision of R.A. 9849 dated December 11, 2009.

Pangarungan said the observance of Eid’l Adha shall strictly abide with the current guidelines, or any changes, if any, adopted by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 pandemic throughout the country.

Eid’l Adha falls on the 10th of Dhu’l Hijjah in the Hijrah Calendar which marks the culmination of Hajj or Pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Hajj is one of the important pillars of Islam religion. Islam requires a Muslim who is physically and financially able to perform the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime.

As in 2020, this year’s hajj is closed to pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom and only those already residing in KSA due to the Covid-19. (PMT)