13th Congress of the Republic ) 
"i34 
d.id 30 ?][] :5 3 
of the Philippines 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S. B. No. 113 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, prescribed as a religious 
duty for Muslims. It is considered as one of the five pillars of Islam. 
By virtue of the mandate of Executive Order 1224, as amended by 
Executive Order 295, otherwise known as An Act Creating the Office of Muslim 
Affairs, the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment of the OMA is primarily 
responsible for the administration of this annual pilgrimage. Unfortunately, there 
have been a number of complaints from the Muslims who were not able to 
successfully complete their hajj because of irregularities in the administration and 
supervision of the conduct of pilgrimage activities. 
This bill seeks to introduce safeguards against such irregularities. Under 
this proposed legislation, the Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment shall 
formulate guidelines to ensure the timely processing of the pilgrims' travel 
documents, the collection of reasonable fees for the processing of passports, the 
establishment of a special trust fund for the collected fees, the establishment of 
regional and provincial hajj coordinating and monitoring units, among others. 
The urgent passage of this bill is therefore requested. 
A 


13th Congress of the Republic ) 
of the Philippines 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S. 6. No. 
Introduced by Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 122-A, AS AMENDED BY 
EXECUTIVE ORDER 295 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ACT 
CREATING THE OFFICE OF THE MUSLIM AFFAIRS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 4 of Executive Order No, 122-A as amended, is hereby 
further amended to read as follows: 
SECTION 
16, 
Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment. The 
Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment shall be primarily 
responsible for the administration of the annual Muslim 
Pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia; 
the formulation and 
implementation of programs, projects and activities for the 
efficiency and effective administration and supervision of the 
conduct of pilgrimage activities, Awqaf (endowment) properties 
and institutions; and the conduct of researches and studied for 
the establishment and hajj towns, Islamic centers and Awqaf 
projects. 
THE BUREAU SHALL FORMULATE THE NECESSARY GUIDELINES 
TO ENSURE THE TIMELY PROCESSING OF THE PILGRIMS' 
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS; 
COLLECTION OF EQUITABLE AND 
REASONABLE FEES WHICH SHALL BE LIMlTED TO MUTAWIFF 
AND PROCESSING OF PASSPORTS. FOR THIS PURPOSE, A 
SPECIAL TRUST FUND SHALL BE CREATED WHERE THE 
COLLECTED FEES SHALL BE DEPOSITED. ALL EXPENSES SHALL 
BE SUBJECT TO EXISTING GOVERNMENT AUDITING LAWS, 
RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
THE BUREAU SHALL LIKEWISE GIVE THE PILGRIMS THE 
OPTION TO CHOOSE THE TRAVEL AGENCIES AND AIRLINES OR 
OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE SITE 
OF THE PILGRIMAGE; PROVIDED THAT PILGRIMS SHOULD 
COMPLY WITH THE PRESCRIBED ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE 
SCHEDULES FIXED BY THE MINISTRY OF HAJJ OF THE BUREAU 
SHALL UNDERTAKE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL AND 
PROVINCIAL HAJJ COORDINATING AND MONITORING UNITS; 
ACCREDITATION OF QUALIFIED AND DESERVING SHIEKS, AND 
AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE 
FORMULATED TIMETABLE OF HAJJ ACTIVITIES. 


SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. All laws, orders, issuances, rules and 
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 3. Effectivity. This Act shall effect upon its approval. 
Approved,