Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Saturday called on the public to contemplate and show compassion, as she joined the observance of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

“As the crescent moon rises, I join my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters across the world, including more than six million Muslim Filipinos, in observing the holy month of Ramadan,” Pangandaman said in a statement.

Pangandaman said Ramadan is a powerful reminder to answer Islam’s call to “a life of peace, justice, and charity.”

She said the month-long observance is a sacred time to renew spirituality through rigorous fasting, devout prayer and reflecting on Allah’s teachings in the Quran.

“Let us use this holy and memorable observance as a period of deepening our faith so that we can show compassion to our countrymen, Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” she said.

“And as we reconnect with our families and communities, let us remember to embrace our common humanity in fostering a better and prosperous future for all,” Pangandaman added.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe fasting and abstain from worldly pleasures as a means of spiritual discipline and deepening their connection with Allah. (PNA)