Muslim girl finds joy, respect in Christian-dominated workplace

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY —Radzma Sabturani is a Muslim girl working in a Christian-dominated organization.

A member of the Pangutaran tribe from Sofrontio Espanola town in southern Palawan, the 21-year old lass is an accounting staff of Yamang Bukid Farm (YBF) in the city's Barangay Bacungan.

With a degree of Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (BSHS) her job involves helping the paperwork in the farm’s disbursing and budgeting section —where all but one employees are Christians.

“I had reservations at first, fearing discrimination as I’m a Muslim,” Sabturani recalls. “I’m happy, my fear is baseless.”

The young lass was first noticed by the management of YBF when, during her last year in college, she applied for a scholarship grant from the company. A relative who works at the farm told her about the company’s  scholarship grant for deserving students.

To pay for her school projects and other necessities, Sabturani  asked if she could help at the farm during weekends, which the company agreed.

“I was overwhelmed; everyone treated me as an equal,” she said. “I soon became friends with Christians,” Sabturani added.

She said she felt respected, even by the farmers who even dote her as their “anak-anakan (little daughter).”

“All my misconceptions about Christians also vanished,” she said, adding that erroneous notion stemming from the association of Islam with violence may have contributed to the apparent distrust between Muslims and Christians.

She also acknowledged the prevailing culture of the company that fosters respect and fairness among farm employees.

“Our relationship among employees and the management is tight. Here, you are not just an employee. You feel like family, even if you’re a Muslim.”

Sabturani's parents are supportive of her job in a predominantly Christian workplace that  even encourages her to wear the traditional headscarf for Muslim women, the hijab, at work.

Although she sometimes find it challenging to pray several times in a day particularly during busy days at work, as part of her faith, Sabturani makes it up during weekends.

“What’s important is that you pray to Him and do your duties as a good Muslim,” she said.

She recalls hearing her coworkers' apologies as they politely move away from her while eating pork and other food deemed unholy in Islam.

Now, there are three other Muslims working at the farm, aside from Sabturani.  

The young girl says she works not just for herself but also for her family.

“I want to help my parents by supporting the studies of my younger sister who’s in senior high school. For now, that’s my dream,” she says, adding her mother owns a lomihan (noodle soup store) back home. —LBG, GMA News