MANILA – A 37-year-old Filipina pilgrim has tragically perished due to the scorching conditions during this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, officials have confirmed.
The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh announced on Thursday that the Filipina, a resident of Western Mindanao, passed away on June 16th “due to extreme weather conditions” while performing the sacred Islamic pilgrimage in Makkah.
“Though medical attention was provided at a Makkah hospital, she did not survive,” lamented Philippine Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Rommel Romato.
The deceased pilgrim was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) based in Saudi Arabia and was not part of the official Hajj delegation organized by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
In the sweltering heat of the Arabian desert, the Philippine Embassy and Consulate General’s hajj assistance teams, as well as the Migrant Workers Office in Jeddah, coordinated the woman’s burial in Makkah on June 19th.
According to NCMF data, this year’s Hajj has drawn over 5,060 Filipino pilgrims, not including roughly 200 NCMF support staff, underscoring the enduring religious devotion of the Philippines’ Muslim community.
The tragic loss of life serves as a solemn reminder of the physical toll the Hajj can take, even as faithful followers from around the world continue to make the arduous journey to Islam’s holiest sites.
