By Jim Lloyd Dongiapon
The local government of Shariff Aguak municipality in Maguindanao del Sur confirmed that they are strictly enforcing the requirement for all women to wear the hijab or tendong, a head covering worn by Muslimahs to maintain modesty and privacy from unrelated men.
Datu Anwar Emblawa, the Secretary to the Mayor, said that the directive came from Mayor Datu Akmad Ampatuan.
The mayor issued the aforementioned mandate due to “religious obligation,” added Emblawa.
He also made it clear that non-Muslims and women travelers are exempt from the hijab policy, allaying the concerns of female tourists who want to visit their town.
On the other hand, the official refuted rumors that were spreading on social media that their municipality was already forbidding members of the LGBTIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and more) community from settling in their area.
He emphasized that the claims that LGBTQIA+ people are not allowed in their town are not factual and are all “fake news”. In fact, according to him, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are free to live in their locality and to do whatever they please.