ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Land Transportation Office (LTO) for Zamboanga Peninsula Director Aminola “Alex” Abaton has ordered all LTO district offices in Region 9 to establish a “Hariraya desk assistance center” to help Muslim devotees on their transportation needs during the celebration of the Hariraya Eid ul-Fitr on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Abaton said the centers will be established at the local port, bus terminals, and airport to serve the Muslims starting Saturday and until Wednesday next week.

The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, and is a culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state, he said.

On this day, he said, many Muslims will be moving around the locality with most of them heading to the mosques for prayers, and LTO assistance is needed during this time.

Abaton, a native of Marawi City, said that on the Eid morning, which is the first day of Shawwal – the tenth month in the Islamic lunar calendar – families go to the mosque to offer a special prayer of thanks, called an Eid prayer, for the help and strength received to practice self discipline during the Ramadan.