A VISAYA House leader on Saturday urged the House leadership to act swiftly on his proposed law setting a price ceiling of P12,000 the casket for indigent Filipinos.
Cebu Rep. Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco stressed this as Filipinos honor their dearly departed loved by saying prayers of remembrance in this Sunday’s All Saints’ Day and Monday’s All Souls’ Day as part of Filipino culture and tradition.
“House Bill (HB) 7846 compassionately eases the financial burdens of grieving indigent Filipinos. When this bill becomes law, funeral parlors are required to make available for poverty-stricken families caskets worth P12,000.00 or less,” said Frasco, chairman of the House committee on Visayas development.
Frasco said HB 7846 seeks to “regulate the funeral industry to widen their product range and rationalize their price range for caskets.”
If the House of Representatives approved the measure, Frasco said this would positively create impact to millions of low-income Filipino households burdened by exorbitant casket prices when a family member passes on.
Frasco said his bill “indirectly creates the product-price category of caskets for indigents.”
“As long as the caskets offered are still of good quality while also being affordable, then the casket makers and funeral parlors will still be able to make a reasonable profit while serving well their indigent clientele,” Frasco explained.
Lead implementing agency would be the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which will apply all relevant laws and regulations as regards product standards, trade regulation, and consumer protection.
“Collaboration is also needed with local governments to ensure effective implementation,” Frasco said.
