Quezon city: The Free Funeral Services Act (Republic Act No. 12309) will serve as the basis of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide standard burial aid to poor families, as well as those who are in crisis, under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. Director Edwin Morata of the DSWD’s Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) highlighted the department’s role in establishing a standardized amount of burial assistance through the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
According to Philippines News Agency, Morata stated that the DSWD will determine the standard package of burial assistance as they develop the IRR. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that poor and indigent families can provide a decent funeral and burial for their deceased loved ones. The free funeral services for poor families will encompass expenses related to funeral parlors, chapels, transportation, cremation, and burial.
The IRR will outline the standard and maximum amount of burial aid available to beneficiaries and include safety guidelines to prevent fund misuse. The DSWD collaborates with local government units (LGUs) nationwide, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and approximately 807 partner-funeral homes in crafting the IRR.
Before the Free Funeral Services Act lapsed into law on September 28, the DSWD had been providing burial assistance through its AICS program using Guarantee Letters (GLs). Data from the DSWD’s CIU shows that from 2014 to September 2025, over PHP10.985 billion in funeral assistance was distributed to the bereaved families of 1,439,160 individuals through the AICS program.
In addition to indigent families, the program is available to Filipinos of any social status affected by calamities and other emergencies who cannot afford dignified funeral services. To avail of the burial assistance under the AICS program, a bereaved family or its representative must present a valid ID, the deceased’s death certificate, and the funeral contract, along with a social case study report prepared by a social worker.
