Members of the “Balik-Islam” community will soon get much-needed representation from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), once a bill filed by Senator Robin Padilla is passed into law.
Padilla filed Senate Bill 2819, which ensures broader representation for the NCMF by including one commissioner from the Balik-Islam community.
“To strengthen the NCMF’s inclusivity and ensure broader representation, this bill proposes an amendment to include one Commissioner from the Balik-Islam community,” the legislator said.
“Balik-Islam community faces various challenges which can range from personal, familial, and community-related concerns.”
“A comprehensive study conducted by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies in 2023 has highlighted the various challenges faced by the Balik-Islam community, which can range from personal, familial, and community-related concerns,” the lawmaker added.
Currently, the NCMF law – Republic Act 9997, passed in 2009 – provided that the NCMF shall have nine full-time members who are Muslim Filipinos, with one commissioner from the women, youth and Ulama sectors.
Padilla noted the “Balik-Islam” community includes those who returned to Islam, the one they consider as the original religion of mankind.
