Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Hassan has expedited and finished the processing of 625 visas for the 700 registered "umrah" (minor pilgrimage) pilgrims from the Philippines days before the first flight on August 21, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Sunday said.

NCMF Secretary Bai Omera D. Dianalan Lucman described this development as an "unprecedented gesture," saying in the past visa processing for pilgrims was completed only two to three days before the pilgrims' flight.

This year pilgrims are billeted at the five-star Makkah Coral Tower Hotel, a walking distance to the "Masjidil Haram" or Makkah Grand Mosque.

"The NCMF, despite its infancy stage, is indeed off for a good start in providing optimum service to the Filipino Muslims, especially on Hajj and Umrah as we are even more inspired by the great support of His Excellency Ambassador Al Hassan and the other officials of the Saudi Embassy," said Lucman.

She said that this gives the office and the pilgrims enough time to make necessary preparations.

Lucman said the Saudi Embassy will be processed on Monday, the visas of the remaining pilgrims out of the 700 registered and already paid each the cost of umrah this year.

Figures provided to the Manila Bulletin by Acting Director Ceasar Maranda of the NCMF's Bureau of Pilgrimage and Endowment (NCMF-BPI) showed that umrah this yearscosts US$1,928 (about P87,357.68 in the August 15 exchange rate). This includes only the plane fare of US$1,154 (P52,287.74) and US$774 (P35,069.94).

The NCMF has not yet released the cost of this year’s hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, said NCMF Acting Executive Director Kim Edres, because this is still being finalized with concerned airlines.

Al Hassan's gesture to immediately act on the visa processing of the umrah pilgrims has won praise from the NCMF.

"In an unprecedented gesture in recent years, the Saudi Embassy in the Philippines has approved visas for Filipino Umrah (minor pilgrimage) pilgrims this year ahead of the usual schedule," said Lucman in a statement, prompting her to express "on behalf of the Filipino Muslims and the Philippine government her most profound thanks to His Excellency, Ambassador Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Al Hassan and Consul Khaled Al-Khatani for such an action."

This after she received reports from Maranda that the Saudi flag carrier has already finished processing the 625 visas for the umrah pilgrims. He said this delays in the past made it difficult for the defunct Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) and pilgrims to prepare for the journey because of time constraint.

"This also augurs well with the earlier arrangment made by the NCMF for the accommodation of Filipino pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the duration of the pilgrimage. For the first time, Filipino pilgrims will be billeted in the five-star Makkah Coral Tower only 700 meters away from the Masjid Al-Haram. Even it is proximate to the Masjid Al-Haram, the hotel management will still provide transportation to the Filipino pilgrims, Maranda said.