PHL Embassy in Saudi Arabia warns vs unlicensed Hajj operators

As the season of Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca approaches, Philippine officials in Saudi Arabia warned Filipinos against unlicensed hajj operators. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the largest pilgrimage in the world. In an advisory, the embassy said it has no Hajj arrangement for Filipinos and does not sponsor any agency or anyone to lead the hajj or make such arrangements. "The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh urges Filipinos who wish to perform the pilgrimage or Hajj to exercise extreme caution when dealing with Hajj agencies and operators and to deal only with authorized and licensed agencies," it said. The Embassy said the host government requires all those who want to perform the pilgrimage to "go through licensed Hajj agencies and to make sure that they obtain the required Hajj permit." Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and considered a religious duty that Muslims must fulfill at least once in their lifetimes. The Hajj is a show of the solidarity of the Muslim people and their submission to Allah. - VVP, GMA News