MANILA, Philippines — A total of 709 Filipino pilgrims are now in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform during the Holy month of Ramadan, the “umrah” pilgrimage, with the final batch of 10 leaving Wednesday.

“Umrah” is a minor and optional form of hajj or pilgrimage.

Sometimes, millions of Muslims from around the world are particularly attracted to perform umrah, especially during the Holy month of Ramadan.

National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Bai Omera D. Dianalan Lucman said 719 pilgrims registered with the NCMF this year for umrah.

“They are now in Makkah where umrah rituals are performed at the Masjidil Haram or Grand Mosque. Where 10 of them leave Wednesday,” she said.

Lucman said the umrah operation in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Bureau of Immigration and its Quarantine office, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is going on smoothly.

The NCMF official said Saudi Ambassador Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Hassan facilitated the issuance of umrah visas to the Filipino pilgrims.