House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure that seeks to provide affordable funeral services to poor Filipinos. 

The measure, House Bill (HB) No.102 or An Act Providing for Funeral Services to Indigents, was authored by House Deputy Speaker Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco. 

Its penultimate passage was carried out before the House ended the second regular session of the 19th Congress on Wednesday, May 22. 

Frasco says the aims to alleviate the burden carried by grieving Filipino families, especially those living in abject poverty. 

“By passing the Affordable Funeral Service Act, the dignity of every Filipino is upheld, no matter the income class, and, equitable access to affordable funeral services is assured, alleviating the pain and sorrow that inevitably comes with death,” he said
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“Therein lies the great injustice that the State must correct, if it is to uphold its duty, to protect the human dignity that every Filipino is entitled to, in life and, in death,” Frasco further stated. 

The bill proposes that all funeral establishments shall at all times make available for the family of a deceased indigent and extremely poor individual, funeral services with a price of not more than P20,000. 

For this amount, the family of the deceased may avail of funeral services that include, among others, mortuary services, the provision of casket or coffin to hold the deceased, and other related services. 

It also mandates the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to monitor and regulate the prices of funeral services, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) may extend funeral/burial or financial assistance to qualified applicants. 

In his sponsorship speech in plenary, Frasco noted that this legislation touches upon the life of every Filipino. 

He called for legislative intervention to heed the cry of families grieving the death of a loved one while being driven to financial distress and even debt. 

The idea for HB No.102 was formed when Frasco was still serving as Mayor of Liloan in Cebu and even when he was already the 5th district congressman, 

He said that he would often encounter families who has just lost their loved and were in severe distress because they could not afford the funeral services being offered by funeral establishments. 

According to Frasco, the proposed legislation is one not merely of regulation, but more importantly a matter of social justice.