Tufo pushes for free funeral services for ‘indigents’

NEOPHYTE senator, Raffy Tulfo, has filed a measure seeking to provide free funeral services to poor families.

Under Senate Bill 1695 or the proposed “Free Funeral Services Act,” Tulfo pointed out how funeral and burial expenses have become a burden to the bereaved families.

Under the bill’s explanatory note, it said that many poor families equate death to a crippling amount of debt and evidently, a heavy burden for those left behind.

“Many poor families are not only wracked with grief but also deep financial stress that may even lead them to borrow funds from lenders with high-interest rates,” it added.

The senator wants to institutionalize free burial and funeral services to “the extremely poor nationwide” as funeral and burial services in the country range from P10,000 to hundreds of thousands of pesos.

Tulfo added that under the bill, benefits shall include the preparation of funeral documents, embalming, viewing, burial or cremation. Accredited mortuaries shall provide a casket or urn.

Families whose combined gross income does not exceed P15,000 a month does not own real property or a vehicle will be entitled to free burial and funeral services.

While the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has a burial assistance program which provides up to P10,000 worth of benefits, Tulfo said he finds it necessary to institutionalize the program.

A family who will avail the free funeral services would be required to submit a copy of a certificate of indigency issued by the barangay or the local social welfare office of their respective local government unit (LGU).