It consists of 12 months in numerical order: Muharram, Safar, Rabi Al-Awwal, Rabi Ath-Thani/Rabi Al-Akhir , Jumada Al-Ula, Jumada Ath-Thaniyah/Jumada Al-Akhirah, Rajab, Sha’ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhul Qi’dah and Dhul Hijjah (Month of Hajj)
The Gregorian calendar on the other hand is a solar dating system used by most of the world. It is named after Pope Gregory XIII who issued the papal bull inter gravissimas in 1582, announcing calendar reforms for all of Catholic Christendom. It consists of 12 months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
The proposed law mandates all ministries, bureaus, offices, commissions,
administration, board, committee, institute, corporation whether performing governmental or proprietary function, or any other unit of the BARMM as well as provincial, city, municipal and barangay local government units and public and private schools, including basic, higher and technical education, to use the Hijri and Gregorian calendars with respect to year, month and date, in all official
documents and communications such as memorandum, office order and other forms of formal correspondence.
It also provides that the date on the Hijri calendar shall appear first before the date on the Gregorian calendar.
“In consonance with our right to self-determination”
Lawyer and Member of Parliament (MP) Omar Crisostomo Sema sponsored Bill 87 along with Speaker Pangalian Balindong and MP Abdullah Hasim. Fifty-one other MPs co-authored the bill.
Sema told MindaNews he proposed the bill because while the Bangsamoro Administrative Code allows dual use of the calendars, it is not mandatory and the Gregorian calendar comes first.
“Why not make it mandatory and write the Hijri calendar ahead of the Gregorian calendar considering Islam is the predominant way of life” in the BARMM, Sema told MindaNews.
“This is in consonance with our right to self-determination, for the preservation of our culture, for non-Muslims to understand that we do exist and we have our own way of life and to achieve uniformity and inclusivity in all levels of governance, from the public and private schools up to the Bangsamoro Government, including the LGUs,” Sema added.
While the dual use is mandatory for the regional and LGU offices as well as public and private schools, it is not for companies or businesses “but they can also adopt it,” he said.
Sema said announcements can be lumped with communications, so the two calendars will also be used in event socmed cards or event tarpaulins.
For MP Zia Alonto Adiong, the passage of the bill is “exercising the provision in the Bangsamoro Organic Law allowing the BARMM to uphold its right to promote cultural identity.
