HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pate:_2.4 11 20'9

Quezon City

&

TINE:
BY:

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
t Regular Session

= BILL NO. 1001

Introduced by HONORABLE LUIS JOSE ANGEL N. CAMPOS, JR.

Explanatory Note

‘The fact that many of our countrymen are either on or below poverty line is not
novel, so is ambulance chasing and the evils with it. A sad reality exists when people
who have already undergone the tragedy of losing a loved one or a dear friend have to
face the burden of paying for them

Many in
funeral parlo’

ances of people not being able to bury their loved ones occur due to the
and other similar funeral service providers refusing to release the bodies
of the deceased until the embalming and other funeral expenses be paid. Thus what
happens is that the bodies almost rot or the families have to sell majority of their
belongings or some even It to crimes, but ultimately the fact that a deceased loved
one is not given the proper burial due to financial constraints is abhorring

In most cultures the burial of the dead is sacred, especially with ours since we are
predominantly Catholic or Muslim, religions that believe in the requirements of proper
burial for a peaceful afterlife. That is why the evil of holding or refusing to release the
body of a person due to financial reasons is not acceptable, when negotiable
instruments and means of credit are available to secure the obligation so that even if the

services are provided first, there may still be payment. This bill seeks to address this
wrong.

For the foregoing reasons, the carly passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUIS JOSE ANGEL N ‘OS, JR.

REGISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND (INDEX SERVICE


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1001

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HONORABLE LUIS JOSE ANGEL N. CAMPOS, JR.

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE DETENTION OF BODIES IN FUNERAL HOMES AND MORGUES.
ON GROUNDS OF NON PAYMENT OF EMBALMENT OR ANY OTHER FUNERAL
SERVICES
Be it enacted by the Senate und House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled.

SECTION 1. It shall be unlawful for any morgue, funeral parlor, undertaker's or any
other similar business that provides funeral services to detain or to otherwise cause, directly
or indirectly, the detention of the bodies of the deceased from their surviving relatives or any
other person taking responsibility for the body of the deceased for reasons of nonpayment in

part or full, of any cremation, embalming or any other funeral

SEC. 2. Surviving relatives or persons taking responsibility for the body of the
deceased and wish to bury the body but are financially incapable to settle, in part or in full,
their funeral expenses, including embalming, autopsy and any other similar funeral expenses,
shall be allowed to claim the body with issuance of all corresponding, papers required for the
release of the body upon the execution of a promissory note covering the unpaid obligation.
The promissory note shall be secured by either a mortgage or by a guarantee of a co-maker,
who will be jointly and severally liable with the relatives or responsible person(s) for the
unpaid obligation

SEC. 3. Any employee or person of the funeral home or morgue responsible for
releasing bodies, who violates the provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less
than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000), but not more than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000), or
imprisonment of not less than one month, but not more than six months, or both such fine

and imprisonment, at the discretion of the proper court.


SEC. 4. The Department of Health shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulation

to carry out the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 5. If any provision of this Act is declared void and unconstitutional, the

remaining provisions hereof not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 6. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulation or pars thereof inconsistent with

this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two national

newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,