By Charissa Luci-Atienza Leaders of the House of Representatives sought on Sunday, May 24 a united global front to end the discrimination against Muslim communities. House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez and Tingog Sinirangan party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez made the call, as they extended their felicitations to Filipino Muslims who celebrate Eid’l Fitr, or the end of Ramadan, Muslim’s holiest month. “Our greetings of solidarity, hope, joy, love, and felicitation in marking the end of Ramadan. We are praying that peace will continue to embrace our country, including other conflict-hit areas. Eid Mubarak,” they said. “We wish our Muslim brothers and sisters, especially Filipinos a joyous and meaningful celebration,” the Romualdez couple said. They also took the opportunity to call on the global leaders "to work for genuine world peace and a permanent halt on the increasing trend of discrimination, vilification, harassment, and deprivation against more than one billion Muslims." The Romualdezes said they are one with the Muslim leaders in calling for a stop on rampant stereotyping on Muslims, even as they vowed to promote appreciation for diversity in expression of one's faith and religion. The House leaders said they are committed to support efforts to uplift equality among Muslims, whom they said, are like Christians who have "unwavering and unquestionable dedication to value and protect human lives." “We have to give credit for their sacrifice as a show of dedication to Islam,” they said. “Let’s stand together and provide hope and courage to weather various problems, including the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic,” the Romualdez couple said. Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman thanked the Romualdezes for valuing their Ramadan tradition. "This year's Ramadan has tested our faith as a people. Because of the global health crisis, some of us observed this holy month away from the comfort of our families, while quarantine policies required us to avoid congregational prayers,” he said. “Although the pandemic has thrown most of us into isolation, it did not stop us from fulfilling our spiritual needs. It has provided us an opportunity to spend Ramadan looking inward, and reflecting more during the holiest month. For those who were with their families during the lockdown, the crisis has served as a time to reconnect more strongly or tighten their bonds with their family members as theybfulfill the obligations of self-restraint, mercy and forgiveness during Ramadan,” Hataman said.