Philippine introduces 'hijab' for Muslim women in Coast Guard

Manila: Encouraging more Muslim women to join and serve in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), it had approved a new dress code allowing women in the department to use headscarves along with their uniform, Arab News reported.

The Philippine population- 110 million- has 6 per cent of Muslims, while the PCG has 1,850 Muslims, of which 200 are women.

On Thursday, PCG said in a statement that it has approved the inclusion of hijab for female Muslim Coast Guard Personnel and added that the change has been in effect since last week. It said that the Muslim community expressed their gratitude towards the change, and they said that it would encourage more Muslim women to join the department.

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, welcoming the change, wrote on social media on Thursday that PCG's new change is good news.

Chief of the department Capt. Alicman S. Borowa had tabled the idea a year ago, stating that the change would grow inclusivity.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in the country have already introduced the change within themselves. Philippine security forces had sent women wearing hijab or "hijab troopers" to Marawi as support to communities after the city was sieged. The region was under conflict between Philippine forces and Daesh militants.