A dedicated provincial office handling Muslim affairs may take shape in Cebu within weeks, an advocate said, as community leaders work to close longstanding gaps in healthcare, identification, and population records across the province.
Arlene Sanoh-Salahuddin, consultant and spokesperson of the Salaam Police Advocacy Group in Central Visayas, told The Manila Times that talks on creating the office are advancing, with June floated as a possible start date. She added that she had been tapped to head the initiative, though nothing has been finalized.
Much of the current effort centers on hospitals. Sanoh-Salahuddin said many facilities still lack Muslim-appropriate meals, and that her group is moving to take direct responsibility for handling Muslim burials rather than routing them through funeral homes. Islamic practice, she noted, requires burial within 12 hours and prohibits embalming.
“Sauna kinahanglan pa gyud moagi sa punerarya and everything. So karon, we’re actually making sure nga kami na jud ang mopull out para di na sad hasul sa mga kuan nato sa DOH,” she said.
Coordination with health authorities has started in areas such as Talisay, she said, describing it as part of early moves to simplify procedures. Other administrative and hospital systems remain works in progress.
Better documentation is another priority. Sanoh-Salahuddin estimated the province is home to roughly 26,000 Muslims but said registration drives are still expanding to capture the true figure, which she called necessary for designing proper government programs. Efforts are also underway to make it simpler for Muslim residents to obtain IDs and other official papers.
She observed that the community has grown more visible in public life.
“If you notice ang mga Muslim nakagawas-gawas na sila karon, nagkadaghan-daghan na since di na kaayo sila murag mahadlok ‘going out in the open’,” she said.
The discussions gained attention during an Eid al-Adha gathering at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on May 27, the first time the Capitol grounds were formally opened for the celebration. Between 500 and 600 participants from across Cebu and nearby towns and cities took part in prayers and fellowship, with aid distributed through a partnership involving the provincial government and the Cebu Provincial Police Office.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro, in a message, framed Cebu’s mix of cultures and traditions as a source of strength and called for unity and respect across communities.
Sanoh-Salahuddin, for her part, said she had urged provincial leadership not to be deterred by the difficulties of getting the office off the ground.
“I told the good governor, ‘don’t worry about it. We are here. We are helping the community and helping the community is part of our faith,'” she said.
