By EJ Roque/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday cited the importance of Hajj pilgrimage to Muslims as part of the government’s decision to sponsor 27 internally-displaced persons last year to Mecca.
“A part of my Muslim character says that ‘yung pilgrimage sa Hajj mas importante ‘yan para sa mga Muslim kaysa isang mansion (pilgrimage in Hajj is more important for Muslims than a mansion),” he said in his speech during the Eid al-Fitr Celebration in Davao City.
The President appealed to the Commission on Audit (COA) to relax and reconsider its rules when it comes to government spending.
“Sometimes you have to take into consideration really the subculture. If you can understand the culture, then we’d have less friction in the society,” he said.
“I am asking COA to reconsider. Ano ba naman ‘yang five million? (What is five million?) Actually that five million is worth billions in terms of your kind, I said generosity, to finance the poor people na Muslim para makapag-Hajj (for Hajj),” he added.
Task Force Bangon Marawi head and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairperson Eduardo del Rosario said the President’s recent remarks showed his understanding of the culture of Islam.
“This bespeaks well of the President’s deep understanding of the Islamic culture and its implications. The President’s sterling leadership truly inspires and drives us to bring about more positive changes in public service,” he said.
Del Rosario said on Wednesday he will write an appeal to the COA not to disallow the transfer of PHP5 million worth of Marawi rehabilitation funds to pay for the 72 Matawi residents’ 2018 Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
The COA tagged the fund transfer as “not among the authorized expenses” in the agreement signed between the Office of the President and the HUDCC.
In its audit report, the COA said the HUDCC diverted the PHP5-million worth of Marawi rehabilitation funds to the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos.
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