KORONADAL, SOUTH COTABATO- As part of his commitment to give equal opportunity among its constituents, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. recognized all the Muslim holidays celebrated in this province.
Recently, Governor Tamayo issued a memorandum enjoining all government office to suspend work in observance of 1443 Hijrah (2021) Maulidin Nabi or birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
A MESSAGE FROM GOV. REYNALDO S. TAMAYO, JR. ON MAULID-UN-NABI:
“My sincere greetings of peace to all our Muslim brothers and sisters in this province who are observing the blessed occasion of Maulid-un-Nabi, or the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad which is legally recognized as a holiday under PD 1083, amidst the growing Islamophobia.
“It is such a distortion of historical facts” as the French historian Louis Sedillot puts it “when some writers accuse Prophet Muhammad of cruelty…” He wrote, “[t]hose who call Islam a barbarous religion are people who are deprived of consciousness because they close their eyes to the clear and lucid verses of the Quran and they do not study how the Quran eliminated the disgraceful acts that lasted for centuries.”
As a tri-people, we must observe religious sensitivities at all times thereby denying space to extremists rather than creating further marginalization that inevitably leads to radicalization.
Again, a blessed observance of Maulidun Nabi to all our Muslim brothers and sisters and may peace be upon us all.”
He also assured that all tribes in this province will be given equal opportunities to celebrate their tribal holidays.
Furthermore, all Muslim holidays in the province was observed through the declaration of local non-working day in all government offices for them to commemorate and to celebrate.
