Aquino joins Filipino Muslims in celebrating Eid’l Fitr

President Benigno S. Aquino III (Photo by Gil Nartea/Robert Viñas/Malacañang Photo Bureau)

MANILA – President Benigno Aquino III joined Filipino Muslims in celebrating the Eid’l Fitr, hoping the festival would make the Filipinos better citizens and devotees of God.

“I join our Muslim brothers and sisters in celebration of the Eid’l Fitr,” President Aquino said in his greetings message to the Filipino Muslims on Friday.

President Aquino signed Proclamation No. 1070 last July 6, declaring July 17 as a regular holiday to enable the whole country to join Muslim world in celebrating the end of Ramadan.

“Today, we gather for the culmination of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Eid’l Fitr, to commemorate the time when Allah, the Merciful and the Compassionate, revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him),” the President said.

“We celebrate this festival to thank Allah for His kindness and generosity in giving to us his word, that we may be guided in the ways and truth of purpose towards paradise. It is my hope that the activities during Ramadan strengthened your faith, even as the feast that now follows nourishes and rejuvenates both your body and spirit,” he added.

The celebration, the President said, “comes at a most auspicious time when our country is finally nearing its goal of achieving genuine, lasting peace in Mindanao.”

The Aquino administration is pushing for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a draft law intended to establish the Bangsamoro political entity that will replace the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The BBL would serve as enabling law to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on March 27, 2014.

“Like your festival, this is the much awaited end to a long, protracted period of reflection, sacrifices, and rediscovery of the values that our nation and our people cherish,” the President said.

“It is my hope that, through this exercise, we emerge better citizens and devotees of God. May peace and unity prevail over our lands and waters, as we proceed to next chapter of our journey on the straight and righteous path towards a more equitably progressive future. Salaam and Eid Mubarak!,” he added.

Eid’l Fitr is celebrated by Muslims for three days after the end of a month-long fasting period which began last June 18.