“Panagtagbo” (meeting/encounter): An Interfaith Tradition of Pakigdait Cooperation Circle

KAUSWAGAN, LANAO DEL NORTE, Mindanao Island.  It’s a heartwarming scene of tradition initiated by Pakigdait as the Christian leaders wait outside the town’s main Mosque at the time considered by Muslims all over the world, as the end of Ramadhan.  As the Muslim devotees complete their worship (Sambayang), Christians in a spirit of solidarity greet all Muslims coming out of the Mosque with a warm embrace.  In return, the Muslim leaders would allow the Christian leaders to join them in celebrating Eid’l Fit’r, the feast marking the end of the month-long fasting.

Since 2001, the Pakigdait CC, an interfaith and peace advocate civil society organization has been conducting inter-religious dialogues and intercultural activities like the “Panagtagbo sa Panaghiusa ug Kalinaw” (Coming to Meet for Unity and Peace), the yearly theme of the Ramadhan greetings, as a venue to foster unity, reconciliation and conflict resolution in this war-ravaged and conflict-ridden town of Kauswagan.

The program usually starts with a Panagtagbo (meeting/greeting) in the morning at the Mosque grounds.  This is followed by the reading of the Qur’an by a respected religious leader and opening remarks and messages from distinguished representatives. 

A symbolic gift-giving for interfaith and cultural solidarity is then done by the local Catholic church and other Christian religious groups. The gift is symbolic of the Christian’s greetings to Muslims. They would also express their solidarity and greet the Muslims after the Khutbah (end of the prayers) by giving flowers to the devotees. The Catholic priests and pastors from the Evangelical churches of the town then share their insights on the celebration, after which the Imam and the traditional leaders of the Muslims share their responses. They congratulate their Muslim brothers and sisters and celebrate with them the occasion. Traditional delicacies of the Maranao-Muslims are then served for everyone to partake.

The Panagtagbo is done yearly ever since it was started and it is found to be very useful in the peacebuilding work in the province. In return, during Christmas, Muslims in the community visit the Christians in their church to greet them on their celebration by giving them a symbolic token as a gesture of friendship.

This is not an ordinary tradition that is usually done in the region but Pakigdait is trying to develop this tradition to convey what interfaith understanding and harmony is all about. These are just few of the efforts Pakigdait had planted in the hearts of the community. We hope it will grow soon and bear the fruits of peace and justice for the land. 

By Musa Sanguila, chairman of the Pakigdait CC of Mindanao.