PHILIPPINES. Manila: Filipino Muslims observed Eid al-Adha for the second time during the pandemic. The festival resulted in a declaration of a regular holiday all over the country. Meanwhile, the presence of the COVID-19 Delta variant is quite prominent in the Philippines.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed Proclamation No. 1189 on 15 July. The proclamation declares Eid al-Adha a regular holiday nationwide this 20 July. Filipino Muslims are allowed to observe Eid al-Adha as long they follow community quarantine health protocols and social distancing measures.
Earlier, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos recommended Eid al-Adha as a national holiday before the president signed the proclamation. This proclamation allows the Muslim community to gather and observe Eid al-Adha. This is the second feast this year that Manila city allowed but modified in alignment with quarantine health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Filipino Muslims gathered for Eid al-Adha with the risk
Manila City expects attendees to gather in a large crowd in front of the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center for the Eid al-Adha. The Muslim community of Manila mostly lives around the Manila Golden Mosque. The Eid al-Adha is one of the two feasts that the Muslim community of Manila observes every year.
Police officers and barangay officials monitor and assists the large crowd going to the Manila Golden Mosque. Filipino Muslims gathered outside the mosque as police segregated them into groups and made sure that they wear a face mask. This task helps to make sure that everything is in order and prevents the spread of the virus.
The Philippines detected the COVID-19 Delta variant in the country. Therefore, the government discourages large social gatherings similar to Eid al-Adha to prevent the spread of the Delta variant. The Delta variant has so far infected 35 individuals with three deaths in the country. The reason President Duterte aggressively pushes the Filipinos for vaccination against COVID-19.
