VP Robredo to Muslims: Keep spiritual ties tight amid physical distancing

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday joined Muslims as they observed the end of Ramadan, reminding them of spiritual ties amid physical distancing.

"As you each end your fasts, cherish these bonds and remember that as we maintain our physical distance, the spiritual ties that bind us tighten with every act of communal responsibility," she said in her Eid'l Fitr message.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared May 13, 2021 a regular holiday nationwide in observance of the Eid’l Fitr, which Muslims celebrate for three days after the end of the month of fasting.

In her message, Robredo said that the celebration is "more than a feast that marks the end of a period of fasting; it is a continued reminder that we are a single community."

"While the pandemic and its many challenges may prevent us from coming together as we did in the past, today we are reminded that we are a community not just through proximity, but through the numerous acts of solidarity, kindness, justice, and collective resolve that we practice every day," Robredo said.

Echoing widespread sentiment during the pandemic, Robredo said she is looking forward "to the day when we can reclaim our lives fully, and emerge stronger under a better normal for every Filipino." --KBK, GMA News