REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by HONORABLE RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III, 
HONORABLE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, and 
HONORABLE BRYAN B. REVILLA 
AN ACT 
REGULATING CREMATORIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Cremation is slowly becoming acceptable to more Filipinos, who 
previously favor the traditional burial rites, due to practical reasons and 
restrictions. Some cities have also built their own public crematoriums as a 
response to space limitations of the public cemeteries and to offer alternatives to 
families who cannot afford the customary burial service. 
This bill seeks to regulate the establishment and operations of crematories 
in order to promote public health and protection of the environment. The measure 
proposes mechanisms for the application, approval, and inspection of 
crematories. It also mandates the Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources to institute anti-pollution measures to control air contaminants that 
cremation processes produce.  
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
September 9, 2025
1:24 pm
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RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III 
LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
BRYAN B. REVILLA 


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by HONORABLE RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III, 
HONORABLE LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, and 
HONORABLE BRYAN B. REVILLA 
AN ACT 
REGULATING CREMATORIES, 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 the “Crematories 
Regulation Act”. 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to promote and protect the right to health of the people. Toward this end, no 
crematory shall be erected near a residential community where it would pose a 
hazard to health and air quality. The erection and maintenance of crematories 
shall be regulated in order to promote the public health and the environment.  
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
mean: 
a.
Crematory or crematorium refers to a mortuary where corpses are
cremated or a facility for the disposal by incineration of the bodies of the dead; 
and 
b.
Secretary  refers to the Secretary of Health.
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Sec. 4. Establishment and Maintenance of Crematories. – Any natural 
person, partnership, corporation or association may erect, maintain, and conduct 
a crematory and provide the necessary appliances and facilities for the disposal 
by incineration of the bodies of the dead, in accordance with the provisions of 
this Act. The location of such crematory shall be within the confines of an 
established cemetery containing not less than eight (8) hectares, which cemetery 
shall have been in existence and operation for at least five (5) years immediately 
preceding the time of the erection of such crematory, or shall be within the 
confines of a plot of land approved for the location of a crematory by the 
sangguniang bayan or the sangguniang panlungsod of the municipality or city; 
Provided, That no crematory shall be located within the one hundred fifty (150) 
meters of any residential structure or land used for residential purposes not owned 
by the owner of the crematory. 
The design, construction, technical requirements, sanitary certification, 
and operation of the crematories, as well as handling of dead bodies shall be in 
compliance with the Presidential Decree 856, otherwise known as the “Code on 
Sanitation of the Philippines” and Republic Act No. 8749, or the “Philippine 
Clean Air Act of 1999,” and their respective implementing rules and regulations.  
Application for such approval shall be made in writing to the local 
authority, and a hearing shall be held within the town or city in which such 
location is situated within sixty-five (65) days from the date of receipt of such 
application. Notice of such hearing shall be given to such applicant by mail, 
postage paid, to the address given on the application, and to Secretary of Health, 
and by publication twice in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the 
town or city at intervals of not less than two (2) days, the first being not more 
than fifteen (15) nor less than ten (10) days, and the second being not less than 
two (2) days before such hearing. The local authority shall approve or deny such 
application within sixty-five (65) days after such hearing. The grounds for its 


action shall be stated in the records. Each applicant shall pay a reasonable fee, 
together with the costs of the publication of such notice, as the local authority 
may determine by ordinance.  
No such crematory shall be erected until the plans therefor have been filed 
with and approved by the Secretary of Health; and no such crematory shall be 
used until it has been inspected and received a certificate of inspection by the 
Department of Health.  
Each holder of an inspection certificate shall, annually, on or before July 
first, submit in writing to the Department of Health an application for renewal of 
such certificate. If the department issues to such applicants such an inspection 
certificate, the same shall be valid until July first next following year, unless 
revoked or suspended.  
Upon receipt of an application for a renewal of such a certificate, the 
Department of Health shall make an inspection of each crematory.  
A crematory shall be open at all times for inspection by the Department of 
Health. The department may make inspections whenever it deems advisable.  
If, upon inspection, by the Department of Health, it is found that such a 
crematory is in such condition as to be detrimental to public health, the 
department shall give to the applicant or operator of the crematory notice and 
opportunity for hearing as provided in regulations promulgated by the Secretary 
of Health. The Secretary may, after such hearing, revoke, suspend or refuse to 
issue or renew any such certificate upon cause found at hearing.  
Any of the inspections provided for in this section may be made by a person 
designated by the Secretary of Health.  
Sec. 5. Anti-Pollution Measures. – The Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR) shall issue pertinent guidelines and practices 


promoting anti-pollution measures such as, but not limited to, installation of filter 
systems and similar pollution control devices, designation of pollution officers, 
neutralization of pollutants and toxic wastes, reduction of particulate matter, more 
efficient use of fuel and energy, adequate controls on emission levels, among 
others. Such guidelines shall form part of the minimum requirements prior to the 
approval of application. 
Sec. 6.  Records and Certificates. – The managers of each crematory shall 
keep books of record, which shall be open at reasonable times for inspection, in 
which shall be entered the name, age, sex, and residence of each person whose 
body is cremated, together with the authority for such cremation and the 
disposition of the ashes. The owner or superintendent shall complete the 
cremation permit required by Section 7, retain a copy for record and immediately 
forward the original permit to the local registrar of the town or city in which the 
death occurred. The local registrar shall keep the cremation permit in file and 
record it with other vital statistics.  
When the body of the deceased is removed from a town or city where the 
death occurred for the purpose of cremation, the person having the legal custody 
and control of such body shall cause a certificate to be procured from the person 
in charge of the crematory in which such body is incinerated, stating the facts 
called for in this section, and cause such certificate to be filed for record with the 
registrar of the town or city in which the death occurred.  
Each crematory shall retain on its premises, for not less than five (5) years 
after final disposition of cremated remains, books of record, copies of cremation 
permits, cremation authorization documentation, and documentation of receipt of 
cremated remains.  
Sec. 7.  Cremation Permit. –  


a. 
The body of any deceased person may be disposed of by incineration or 
cremation in the town or city where the death occurred or may be removed from 
such town or city for such purpose. 
b. 
The death certificate required by law shall be filed with the local registrar 
for the town or city in which such person died, if known, or, if not known, for the 
town in which the body was found. The Chief Medical Examiner, Deputy Chief 
Medical Examiner, associate medical examiner, or an authorized assistant 
medical examiner shall complete the cremation certificate, stating that such 
medical examiner has made inquiry into the cause and manner of death and is of 
the opinion that no further examination is necessary. The cremation certificate 
shall be submitted to the local registrar of the town or city in which such person 
died, if known, or, if not known, of the town or city in which the body was found, 
or with the local registrar of the town or city in which the nearest kin or the person 
having authority over the body is located. Upon receipt of the cremation 
certificate, the registrar shall authorize the cremation certificate, keep it on 
permanent record, and issue a cremation permit, except that if the cremation 
certificate is submitted to the registrar of the town or city where nearest kin or the 
person having lawful authority over the body is located, such certificate shall be 
forwarded to the registrar of the town or city where the person died to be kept on 
permanent record. When the cremation certificate is submitted to a town or city 
other than that where the person died, the local registrar such other town or city 
shall ascertain from the original removal, transit, and burial permit that the 
certificates required by the laws, rules, and regulations have been received and 
recorded, that the body has been prepared in accordance with laws, rules, and 
regulations, and that the entry regarding the place of disposal is correct.  
c. 
No body shall be cremated until at least forty-eight (48) hours after death, 
unless such death was the result of communicable disease, and nobody shall be 
received by any crematory unless accompanied by the permit provided for in this 


section. In the case of death as a result of communicable diseases, crematories 
shall provide logistics and transport of the human remains, upon designation and 
with the assistance of the local government unit. 
Sec. 8. Penalty. – Any person who makes any false statement in procuring 
any permit required by this Act, or who violates any provision of this Act, shall 
be fined not more than Five thousand pesos (P5,000) or imprisoned not more than 
two (2) years, or both. 
Sec. 9. Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of Health shall issue the 
necessary rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act.  
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not otherwise affected 
shall remain in force and effect.  
Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of 
instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, 
or amended accordingly. 
Sec. 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,