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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In the Philippines, a funeral is identified as the final act of service for the their 
loved one who passed away. The family usually hold a wake (lamay), which typically 
lasts for three to seven nights, before the burial. Relatives from abroad and other 
places travel home to join the bereaved family in commemorating the deceased.  
For many poor families, death comes with debt. The cost of funeral and burial 
services (usually starting from P10,000) burdens the family financially.  In order to 
pay for proper memorial services, some are left with no choice but to borrow money 
from lenders who sometimes take advantage of their grief and immediate need to put 
on high interest rates.  
To assist indigent and extremely poor families, this bill seeks to grant a fifty 
percent (50%) discount from funeral services to the former and free funeral services to 
the latter nationwide. They can avail of the free or discounted funeral services upon 
submission of the following: Certificate of Indigency, Death Certificate, and Funeral 
Contract between the beneficiary-family, the accredited mortuary, and the authorized 
DSWD personnel.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
November 17, 2021
6:22 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
3rd Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by Representative PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
AN ACT 
GRANTING A FIFTY PERCENT (50%) DISCOUNT FROM FUNERAL SERVICES TO 
INDIGENT FAMILIES AND FREE FUNERAL SERVICES TO EXTREMELY POOR 
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."  
SEC. 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 give discounts from 
funeral services to indigent families and free funeral services to extremely poor 
families.  
SEC. 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" refers 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 maybe, offered by 
mortuaries. The standard package of funeral services will cover: 
 
1. Transfer of deceased from place of death to the mortuary for embalming 
and applying of cosmetics within a 25-kilometer radius of mortuary; 
 
2. An Ordinary Plain Casket and casket stand for viewing of body or urn in 
case of cremation; 
 
3. Two (2) to three (3) days viewing outside the funeral chapels such as the 
Barangay Hall or residence of the family; 
 
4. Use of funeral viewing equipment including lighting and arania; 
 
5. Use of funeral vehicle for interment within a 25-kilometer radius from the 
place of viewing to the place of burial; and 
 
6. Unless for compelling reason, interment only on weekdays and on official 
time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., except on regular 
holidays.  
 
SEC. 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, 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.  
 
SEC. 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, 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.  
 
SEC. 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 


 
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mortuary; (b) death certificate; and (c) funeral contract between the beneficiary-
family, the accredited mortuary and the authorized DSWD personnel. 
 
SEC. 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 regional office of the DSWD upon the approval of the Regional 
Director. 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.  Lead Agency. The DSWD shall be the lead agency in the 
implementation of the provisions of this Act and shall engage the funeral services of 
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.  
 
SEC. 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). 
 
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DSWD shall, in coordination with the 
Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine Mortuary 
Association, with the participation of local government units, promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
 
SEC. 12.  Separability Clause. If any portion or provision of the Act is declared 
void or unconstitutional, the remaining portions or provisions hereof shall not be 
affected by such declaration. 
 
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. Any provision of law or regulations inconsistent 
herewith is  hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.  
 
SEC. 14.  Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,