Philippines to showcase Islamic heritage in Riyadh during Ramadan

Manila: The Philippines will host a Ramadan event to showcase the country’s Islamic heritage in Riyadh later this month, Manila’s envoy in the Saudi capital told Arab News on Sunday. 

Filipino Muslims make up around 10 percent of the Philippines’ nearly 120 million people, according to 2024 data from the National Commission for Muslim Filipinos, constituting the third-largest Muslim community in Southeast Asia after Indonesia and Malaysia.

With an iftar gathering and a Qur’an reading exhibition planned for later this month, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh is seeking to showcase the country’s Islamic heritage, said Rommel Romato, the embassy’s charge d’affaires. 

“The event serves to strengthen the bonds of friendship and understanding between Philippine and Saudi communities. The iftar is a special opportunity to come together during this holy month of Ramadan and celebrate the values of peace, compassion, and community,” he said.

“The Qur’an reading exhibition will showcase the rich Islamic tradition of the Philippines and foster cultural exchange with Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam.” 

Islam first arrived in the predominantly Catholic Philippines in 1380, according to the National Historical Institute, making it the oldest monotheistic religion in the archipelagic country. 

Most Filipino Muslims live on the island of Mindanao and in the Sulu archipelago in the country’s south, as well as in Manila. 

The Riyadh event is also part of the embassy’s work to support overseas Filipino workers in the Kingdom, which is the most popular destination for OFWs with around 437,000 Filipino migrant workers working in Saudi Arabia in 2022, according to a survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

“We are committed to supporting our Overseas Filipino Workers and their families in Saudi Arabia through various programs and initiatives, and this event is a chance to connect with them and representatives of the Saudi community,” Romato said.