3 September 2010 - The contestants from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia went home triumphant after they were declared the champions during the 9th Holy Qur'an Reading contest held at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh grounds on August 26.
This is the second year in a row that the Western Region readers have swept the major prizes of the competition. Mr. Aminollah Mimbala Omar from Makkah and Mr. Noor Garingan Jadoon of the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) bagged the Championship awards for the professional or adults' category and non-professional or students' category, respectively.Mr. Omar pocketed 7,000 Saudi riyals (SAR) in cash and brought home a 32-inch plasma TV, an I-Pod, a notebook computer, as well as other home appliances and food items. Mr. Jadoon received 3,000 SAR, a 32-inch plasma TV, a digital camera, and other home appliances and food items.
The other contestants did not go home empty-handed as they were awarded with cash prizes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 SAR commensurate with their ranks, assorted home appliances and food items which were similarly given to the champions.
In his welcome remarks, Philippine Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor highlighted that the affair was carefully prepared "to provide a venue for a timely reflection and interaction on the unique and most special gift of Islam to humanity that opens our spiritual eye to realize and be thankful for our life and manifold blessings we have received in this material world."
"It is also a way of expressing the hope of the entire Filipino nation for total and lasting peace and development to finally dawn in Mindanao," he added.
The event commenced after the taraweeh prayer and was hosted by Attaché Abdul Hamid Alawi.
Attaché Ibrahim T. Zailon led the opening prayer while Attaché Cotawato M. Arimao introduced the esteemed panel of judges headed by Sheikh Mohammad Waleed Al-Swaidan, and composed of three other distinguished members from the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY).
Thereafter, the contest proper commenced with nine competitors for the professional category and four for the non-professional category.
After the contest, Ambassador Villamor presented the Certificates of Appreciation to all the generous sponsors of the event as well as to the members of the Board of Judges with the assistance of Messrs. Hassan Khalil and Usman Navarro, Chairpersons of the Finance Committee.
He also conferred the Certificates of Participation to all the contestants and awarded the prizes to the deserving winners.
In between photo opportunitie, he personally thanked everyone for their contribution in the contest, which he considered as the Filipinos symbol of unity and solidarity with the Muslim Ummah in celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
The event was also graced by members of the diplomatic corps, Saudi businessmen, Embassy and Philippine Overseas Labor Office officials, and Filipino-Muslim community.
The 2009 Holy Qur'an Reading Champion, Mr. Saa-doddin Mohammad Nadhir Asgar, also attended the event as guest reader.