The fasting season for Roman Catholics and Muslims is set in the Philippines. The Lenten season for Catholics begins with Ash Wednesday on February 18, while Ramadan for Muslims has been delayed to February 19 due to the crescent moon not being sighted.
In Manila, Philippines, this week marks the start of the fasting season for Roman Catholics and Muslims. For Roman Catholics, Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, February 18, commences the Lenten season in the Church's liturgical calendar. The day requires the faithful to observe fasting, along with every Friday of Lent and Good Friday. Ashes from burned palm leaves used during Palm Sunday are marked on the foreheads of the faithful.
Ash Wednesday is usually observed by Roman Catholics, though some other branches of Christianity also practice it. In a pastoral letter dated February 16, Lipa Bishop Gilbert Garcera, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, urged the faithful to fast not only from food but also from digital media. “Excessive media use often leads to distraction, fatigue, loss of focus, weakened relationships, and diminished spiritual awareness,” Garcera said in the letter. “Digital media fasting helps restore balance and reminds us that technology must serve human life—not dominate it,” he added.
Meanwhile, for Muslims, Ramadan, originally set for February 18, has been moved to February 19. According to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulrauf Guialani of the Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’, this is because the crescent moon was not sighted, which marks the beginning of the month of prayer and fasting. During this period, Muslims fast from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, with exceptions for the elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating faithful.