Manila, Philippines — The Senate of the Philippines formally approves the Free Funeral Services bill for poor Filipino families in crisis situations.
During the plenary session on June 2, the Senate passed on the third and final reading Senate Bill no. 2965 or the Free Funeral Services Act aiming to provide free Funeral services for target beneficiaries.
Poor are defined as families with income lower than the poverty threshold determined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and or those having difficulty in providing their needs as defined under the Social Reform and Poverty Act.
The Free Funeral Services are provided for families under crisis situations as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, including but are not limited to indigent families as well as those affected by calamities that cannot provide Funeral services.
Qualified families will be provided with an indigent Funeral package which includes preparation of Funeral documents, embalming, burial services, transport, cremation, and inurnment services.
These are still aside to the casket, urn, or venue included in the Funeral establishment.
Under the approved bill, the Free Funeral Services can be availed by bereaved families via accredited funeral establishments with uniform indigent funeral package.
To avail the benefits, representative of the bereaved family should present the following:
- Valid identification card of beneficiary
- Death certificate
- Funeral contract signed by the representative of the deceased’s family, the funeral establishment, and an authorized DSWD personnel
- Social case study prepared by any registered social worker