DDHK.ORG - February 1 is designated as National Hijab Day. This was approved by the country's parliament on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
The decision was taken by the Philippines in an effort to promote a "deeper understanding" of Muslim culture and religious tolerance in the predominantly Catholic country. A total of 203 parliamentary votes unanimously reportedly approved the bill.
Mindanao's Child Representative, Amihilda Sangcopan, is the initiator and sponsor of the bill. He thanked all members of parliament for supporting the passing of the regulation.
Mindanao is a region in the southern Philippines. The area is occupied by predominantly Muslim residents.
Sangcopan hopes that members of the Philippine Senate can also support the bill so that it will be passed into law soon. "This law seeks to promote a greater understanding among non-Muslims about the practice and value of wearing the headscarf as a behavior of courtesy and dignity for Muslim women and encourages Muslim and non-Muslim women to benefit from wearing it," reads the bill's excerpt as quoted by Arab News.
The bill was also drafted in order to stop discrimination that is often accepted by women wearing headscarves. The draft law was also created to remove misconceptions about the way Muslims dress, which is often mistaken for symbols of oppression, terrorism and lack of freedom.
"This bill also seeks to protect the right to religious freedom for Filipino Muslim women and promote tolerance and acceptance of religion and its lifestyle throughout the country."
The bill also mandates the Philippine Muslim National Commission to celebrate National Hijab Day by promoting and raising awareness about the hijab in the Philippines.
Sangcopan says women wearing hijab face a number of challenges around the world. He also mentioned several universities in the Philippines that prohibit Muslim students from wearing the headscarf.
"Some of these students were forced to remove their hijabs to comply with school rules and regulations, while some were forced to drop out of school and be transferred to other institutions. This is clearly a violation of religious freedom for students, "said Sangcopan.
Sangcopan emphasized that wearing the hijab is the right of every Muslim woman. “It's not just a piece of cloth, it's their way of life. It has been explained in the Islamic holy book, Al-Quran, that every Muslim woman is obliged to maintain purity and simplicity, "he said.
According to the latest government data, there are around 10 million Muslims out of a total population of 110.428.130 in the Philippines. The United Religions Initiative's Global Council considers the regulation a form of state recognition of the Muslim population in the Philippines. [Source: CNN Indonesia] [DDHK News]
