The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) is collaborating with various Indonesian government agencies to build bilateral cooperations, including Madrasah scholarships and Halal products, that will benefit more Muslim Filipinos.

“In the spirit of One ASEAN Community, the NCMF, through its delegates, reached out to the Indonesian government for significant partnerships that will directly benefit Muslim Filipinos, especially the youth, through scholarships in Indonesia,” NCMF Secretary Sabuddin Abdurahim said in a news release on Sunday.

Abdurahim said the recent NCMF mission to Jakarta “has been fruitful,” with the General of Islamic Education of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia expressing interest in opening Madrasah scholarships for Muslim Filipinos in Pondok Pesantren Darullughah Wadda’Wah that already includes cost of living allowance.

He said the Commission, through its Bureau of Muslim Cultural Affairs, is preparing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the scholarship.

Aside from the Madrasah scholarship, the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan or LPDP) urged Muslim Filipinos to apply for Master of Arts or Doctor of Philosophy at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, a newly established graduate institution that offers various academic programs focusing on the study of Islam and the Muslim world and has various research centers.

Hajj cooperation

Abdurahim said NCMF and Indonesia’s Hajj Organizing Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Haji or BP Haji) explored cooperation in organizing the annual Hajj, the pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, including sharing best practices.

BP Haji chief Mochammad Irfan Yusuf welcomed this initiative, emphasizing that the implementation of the Hajj in Indonesia adheres to the vision of Tri Sukses Hajj, namely ritual success in the smooth running of worship, economic success by maximizing benefits for pilgrims and the community, and civilization success in realizing the values of civilization in the Hajj.

The BP Haji said the Muslim population in Indonesia reached 87.2 percent of the total population in 2024 and every year, the number of Hajj pilgrims continues to increase.

The BP Haji is thus welcoming innovation and strategic cooperation with the NCMF, through its Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment, to improve the efficiency and quality of Hajj services.

“The greatest aspiration of Muslims is to perform the Hajj. The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Prabowo Subianto, has paid great attention to the organization of the Hajj and asked us at BP Haji to provide the best service to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims,” the BP Haji head said.

Halal accreditation

Abdurahim said the NCMF and Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (Badan Pengelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal or BPJPH) are developing an MOU, targeted to be finalized in March or April 2025, to cooperate in the field of Halal certification of products and regulating and monitoring the Halal standards of food, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other products, even including shoes and clothes.

The BPJPH urged NCMF to use one Halal logo to be used by the Halal-certifying bodies (HCBs) it accredited.

According to the NCMF Bureau of Muslim Economic Affairs, the Commission has accredited 12 HCBs as of December 2024.

The NCMF is the vice chair of the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Board created under Republic Act No. 10817 (An Act Instituting the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Program). The Board is chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Other PH-ID coordination

The NCMF and LPDP are also in talks to conduct a capacity development for the Commission’s Endowment Division to help bolster its waqf (Islamic endowment) administration services.

The Commission’s Bureau of Legal Affairs and Indonesia’s Directorate General of Corrections of the Ministry of Corrections and Immigration also agreed to continue information exchange on best practices in managing Muslim persons deprived of liberty in accordance with the Islamic principles and global standards.

Aside from Indonesian government agencies, Abdurahim said NCMF discussed with Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia (arbitration center), a private institution, on how NCMF Bureau of Peace and Conflict Resolution may partner with relevant Indonesian government agencies on arbitration, mediation, and other form of dispute resolutions.

“The Commission is grateful to Chargé d’Affaires Gonaranao Musor for arranging the meetings for the benefit of Muslim Filipinos,” Abdurahim said. (PNA)