The Higher Judicial Institute (HJI) at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University will be organizing a special course for judges from the Philippines after Ramadan.

In a statement, the HJI’s dean Abdurahman bin Salamah Al-Mezeiny said this course is one of the services Imam University offers for judges from a number of countries.

Al-Mezeiny was in the Philippines prior to finalizing the program and visited officials of the National Commission of Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) to finalize the delegation’s itinerary.

The visiting Saudi delegation had meetings with their counterparts in the Philippines including former Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez and Mehul K. Saden of NCMF.

Philippine Ambassador to Riyadh Ezzedin H. Tago told Arab News Imam University’s rector Sulaiman Aba Al-Khail had briefed him on the university’s program.

He said the Kingdom and the university in particular are helping Muslim Filipinos improve their education and competency.

He added: 'I am confident that this is the first step toward greater numbers of Filipinos joining the university.'

Saden expressed gratitude to King Abdullah for his services to Muslims and Islam around the world, especially the Philippines. The NCMF looks after the needs of Muslim Filipinos and succeeded the now defunct Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA).

The commission will cover both the local and national concerns of Muslim Filipinos, including the implementation of economic, educational, cultural, and infrastructure programs for such communities.

The main programs of the NCMF include the annual Haj pilgrimage to Makkah and facilitating participation in international Qur’an reading competitions.

Muslim Filipino students who intend to study abroad coordinate with the NCMF to have their academic documents properly authenticated before traveling.

Meanwhile, Ali Panda, the new dean of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) based at Mindanao State University in the Philippines city of Marawi, told Arab News the center has already produced hundreds of graduates including those who have completed Master's degrees.

The alumni of KFCRIS include many who are now serving in various capacities in the country mainly for the welfare and development of Muslim communities.