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November 19, 2024
10:33 am




Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _________ 
Introduced by Representative Joseph Gilbert F. Violago 
AN ACT  
GRANTING FREE FUNERAL SERVICES TO EXTREMELY POOR 
FAMILIES AND FIFTY PERCENT (50%) DISCOUNT FROM FUNERAL 
SERVICES TO INDIGENT FAMILIES NATIONWIDE, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as “Free and Discounted Funeral 
Services Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote a just and 
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and 
free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life 
for all. As part of fulfilling this, the State shall grant free funeral services to extremely 
poor families and shall give discounts from funeral services to indigent families. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – The following terms as used in this Act shall mean 
the following: 
a. Poor refers to families whose income falls below the poverty threshold as
defined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and/or
who cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs
of food, health, education, housing or other essential amenities of life, as defined
under Republic Act No. 8425, otherwise known as the “Social Reform and
Poverty Alleviation Act”. The Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS)
established under Republic Act No. 11315 of the local government unit, with the
supervision of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), shall be used to
determine the degree of indigency of the family, whether indigent or extremely
poor;
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b. Funeral Services refer to preparation of funeral documents, embalming, viewing, 
interment or burial services, cremation and inurnment services, including the 
provision of a casket or urn, as the case may be, offered by mortuaries. The 
standard package of funeral services will cover: 
 
i. 
Transfer of deceased from place of death to the mortuary for embalming 
and applying of cosmetics within a 25-kilometer radius of mortuary; 
 
ii. 
An ordinary plain casket and casket stand for viewing of body or urn in 
case of cremation; 
 
iii. 
Two (2) to three (3) days viewing outside the funeral chapels such as the 
Barangay Hall or residence of the family; 
 
iv. 
Use of funeral viewing equipment; 
 
v. 
Use of funeral vehicle for interment within a 25-kilometer radius from the 
place of viewing to the place of burial; and 
 
vi. 
Unless for compelling reasons, interment only on weekdays and on 
official time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., except on 
regular holidays. 
 
c. At-need means at the time of death or after a death has occurred. 
SECTION 4. Free Funeral Services for Extremely Poor Families. –  Free funeral 
services shall be provided for extremely poor families by accredited mortuaries 
anywhere in the country. The said free services shall be given to only one (1) family 
member per month per mortuary branch. Provided, that said funeral service does not 
exceed the cost of the mortuary’s minimum funeral service package. Provided further, 
that the grant of free funeral services under this Act is without prejudice to the right of 
the beneficiary to avail of upgraded funeral services given by the mortuary. The 
difference in cost shall be borne by the family of the deceased. 
SECTION 5. Discounted Funeral Services for Indigent Families. –  A fifty percent 
(50%) discount on funeral services shall be granted to indigent families by mortuaries 
anywhere in the country but would only be applicable to at-need funeral services only. 
Provided, that said funeral service does not exceed the cost of the mortuary’s minimum 
funeral service package. The grant of a discount under this Act is without prejudice to 
the right of the beneficiary to avail of other financial assistance given by the 
government. 
SECTION 6. Requirements for Availing Free or Discounted Funeral Services. 
Before an indigent or extremely poor family can avail of the free or discounted funeral 
services, the following documents shall be submitted:   


(a) certificate of indigency issued by the barangay or the local social welfare 
office of the local government unit (LGU), stating whether the family is either 
indigent or extremely poor as defined under Section 3; Provided, however, that 
the certification shall not be a requirement before any member of the family of 
the deceased could avail the services of the mortuary;  
(b) death certificate; and  
(c) funeral contract between the beneficiary-family, the accredited mortuary and 
the authorized DSWD personnel. 
SECTION 7. Reimbursement. – Mortuaries granting discounted or free services to 
indigent or extremely poor beneficiaries may seek reimbursement for the cost of the 
services from any field office of the DSWD. The reimbursement will be based on the 
stipulations of the signed contract between the poor family, the mortuary, and the 
authorized DSWD personnel. 
SEC 8. Implementing Agency. – The DSWD shall be the lead agency in the 
implementation of the provisions of this Act and shall engage the funeral services of the 
mortuaries in the country. 
SEC 9. Role of Local Government Units (LGUs). – Notwithstanding the preceding 
section, the local government units are enjoined to fulfill their devolved function as 
mandated by Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code, and Presidential 
Decree No. 856 otherwise known as the Sanitation Code, in providing assistance to 
indigent and extremely poor families in their respective areas at their own expense. 
Further, the LGUs will waive fees and charges which include burial or interment permit, 
cremation permit, transfer permit, disinterment permit, and cost of Death Certificate. 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to implement the provisions 
of this Act shall be charged against the allocation in the General Appropriations Act 
(GAA) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. –  Within sixty days (60) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DSWD shall, in coordination with 
the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Mortuary 
Association, with the participation of the local government units, promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, memorandum 
orders, memorandum circulars, administrative orders, ordinances, or parts thereof, 
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed repealed or 
modified accordingly. 


SECTION 14. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,