Proposed law seeks to institutionalize burial aid for poor families

A BILL that seeks to give a 50% discount for burial services to indigent families has been filed by progressive lawmakers at the House of Representatives.   

Under House Bill 5753 or the Free and Discounted Funeral Services Act, mortuaries nationwide are mandated to provide the assistance to beneficiaries, who will be determined based on the government’s Community-Based Monitoring System supervised by the Philippine Statistics Authority.  

“Living is already hard but it’s still difficult when you die plus you have to spend,” ACT-Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro, one of the authors of the bill, said in a statement on Monday.    

“This measure seeks to help our countrymen on this by providing immediate relief to the poor, especially during the loss of their loved ones.”  

Several government agencies, including the Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD) and social insurance institutions, have existing burial assistance programs. 

The proposed discounted and free funeral services will be funded under the DSWD budget.  

“We trust that the House leadership will fast track the measure and approve it as soon as possible to help our poor people cope with the rising cost of funeral services,” Ms. Castro said. — Matthew Carl L. Montecillo