Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Bill Drafting Service 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Lordan G. Suan 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to grant free funeral services to poor families and 
appropriate funds therefor.  
A funeral is a ritualized ceremony following a death to honor, 
memorialize and celebrate an individual. Planning a funeral, however, can be 
exhausting, emotionally draining and funerals are quite expensive. While death 
absolves one of debt and all other financial obligations, the bereaved family 
often carry the burden of the cost of burial and other services on top of grief. 
For most Filipinos, a decent funeral is a luxury they can’t afford, especially to 
those belonging to the poor and marginalized families.  
Funeral expenses nowadays may range between P8,000.00 to P15,000.00 
at the cheapest. Mid-range funeral services may cost up to P250,000.00 and 
high-end funeral package may cost around P300,000.00 to P500,000.00. While 
the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local 
government units are offering burial or funeral assistance to help indigent 
families, this assistance is not enough to cover all funeral and related expenses 
incurred by the family of the deceased.  
This bill seeks to alleviate the plight of the poor by providing them with 
free funeral services which include the preparation of funeral documents, 
embalming, interment and burial services or cremation services, including the 
provision of a casket or urn. The DSWD shall be the lead agency and shall 
determine and accredit mortuaries that will provide the free funeral services. 
This bill also provides for penalties to ensure that mortuaries will provide the 
February 15, 2023
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standard funeral services. Moreover, local government units are mandated to 
waive all fees and charges which include burial or interment permits, cremation 
permits, transfer permits, disinterment permits and cost of death certificate.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LORDAN G. SUAN


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Bill Drafting Service 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
Introduced by Representative Lordan G. Suan 
AN ACT 
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GRANTING FREE FUNERAL SERVICES TO POOR FAMILIES AND 
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APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR  
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as "Free Funeral 
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Services Act.” 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote a 
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just and dynamic social order, alleviate poverty, provide adequate social 
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services and raise the standard of living to improve the quality of life for all. 
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Towards this end, the State shall provide means to alleviate the plight of the 
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poor families and uplift their dignity by providing them with free funeral 
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services. 
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SEC. 3. Free Funeral Services. – The Department of Social Welfare and 
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Development (DSWD) shall provide free funeral services to poor families 
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through accredited mortuaries.  The beneficiaries are entitled to avail of the 
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mortuary’s minimum funeral service package, which includes the following: 
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a. Transfer of the deceased from the place of death to the mortuary for 
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embalming and applying of cosmetics; 
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b. Ordinary plain casket with stand for viewing of body or urn in case of 
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cremation;  
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c. Two (2) to three (3) days of viewing outside the funeral chapels such as 
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the Barangay Hall or residence of the family;  
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d. Use of funeral viewing equipment including lighting and arania; and 
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e. Use of funeral vehicle for interment from the place of viewing to the 
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place of burial.  
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For purposes of this Act, funeral services refer to the preparation of 
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funeral documents, embalming, interment and burial services or cremation 
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services, including the provision of a casket or urn, offered by accredited 
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mortuaries. Poor family refers to those whose income falls below the poverty 
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threshold or who cannot afford to provide their minimum basic needs of food, 
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health, education, housing or other essential amenities of life as defined under 
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Republic Act (RA) No. 8425, otherwise known as the “Social Reform and 
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Poverty Alleviation Act.” 
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SEC. 4. Requirements. - To avail of the free funeral services, the 
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beneficiary family shall submit the following documents:  
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a. Certificate of indigency issued by the social welfare office in the 
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locality where the deceased resides; and 
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b. Death certificate. 
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SEC. 5. Accreditation and Contract. – Participating mortuaries in the free 
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funeral service program shall secure accreditation and enter into a contract with 
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the DSWD.  The contract shall specify the manner by which the beneficiaries 
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may avail of the services of the mortuary and the services that the mortuary 
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shall provide, including the manner of payment of the cost of services. 
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SEC. 6. Role of Local Government Units. – The local government units 
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(LGUs) are enjoined to fulfill their devolved function as mandated by RA 
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7160, otherwise known as the “ Local Government Code of 1991,” and 
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Presidential Decree No. 856, otherwise known as the “Code of Sanitation of the 
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Philippines.” LGUs may provide assistance to poor families in their respective 
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jurisdiction at their own expense and shall waive all fees and charges in 
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connection with funeral documentation such as burial or interment permits, 
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cremation permits, transfer permits, disinterment permits and cost of death 
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certificate.  
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SEC. 7.  Penalties. – An accredited mortuary who fails to offer free 
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funeral services and below the standard provided under Section 3 of this Act 
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shall incur the following penalties:  
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(a) First offense: A fine of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00); 
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(b) Second offense: Suspension of business operation for a period of one 
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(1) month and a fine of One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00);  
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(c) Third offense: Suspension of business operation for a period of six (6) 
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year and a fine of Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00); and 
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(d) Fourth offense: Cancellation or termination of business operation and 
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a fine of Five hundred pesos (P500,00.00). 
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SEC. 8. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of 
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this Act shall be charged against the current year’s budget of the DSWD.  
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Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its continued implementation 
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shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  
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SEC. 9.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days 
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from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Social Welfare and 
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Development shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
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effective implementation of this Act. 
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SEC. 10.  Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules 
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and regulations, or parts hereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
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repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 11.  Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved,   
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