BONGAO, TAWI-TAWI – The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) joined the people of Tawi-Tawi and Filipino Muslims in celebrating Sheik Karimol Makhdum Day on November 6–7, 2025.
Led by NHCP Chair Regalado Trota Jose, Jr., the delegation took part in the activities organized by the municipalities of Sibutu and Simunul, together with the Province of Tawi-Tawi, to honor Sheik Karimol Makhdum, one of the earliest Islamic teachers who brought Islam to the Philippines. The observance was held in partnership with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH) and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF).
On November 6, a program was held at the Sheik Makhdum Burial Site in Sibutu, with Department of Education Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Atty. Fatima Lipp D. Panontongan serving as Guest of Honor. One of the highlights of the event was the launch of the Master Plan for the Redevelopment of the Sheik Makhdum Burial Site.
The commemoration continued on November 7 at the Sheik Karimol Makhdum Memorial Gymnasium in Tubig-Indangan, Simunul, where BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua attended as Guest of Honor. The program also featured the launch of the Master Plan for the Redevelopment of the Masjid Karimol Makhdum Complex, a National Historical Landmark recognized as the earliest mosque in the Philippines that continues to operate today.
As part of the two-day observance, the NHCP also launched new publications highlighting the histories of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan, as well as the history of Muslim Filipinos.
The NHCP, a national government agency mandated to promote Philippine history and preserve the country’s cultural heritage, continues to lead initiatives such as museum management, historical research, and site conservation. It also chairs the National Organizing Committee for the 2030 Year of Philippine Muslim History and Heritage, established through Administrative Order No. 10, s. 2023.
