Binay: Government should shoulder cost of cremating COVID-19 fatalities
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Nancy Binay urged the government to shoulder the cost cremating the remains of COVID-19 fatalities to ease the financial burden on their families.
In a statement Monday, Binay said that one of the reasons there are unclaimed bodies in hopsitals is lack of financial resources for cremation costs.
“In my opinion, the government can shoulder the cost of cremation of poor families, or the government can extend assistance to families who have immensely suffered financially,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“It is saddening that families cannot do anything because aside from having to pay for cremation, they lost their jobs, and even more difficult, they lost a loved one,” the senator added.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles stressed Sunday that the remains of COVID-19 patients have to be cremated within 12 hours of death.
"The problem sometimes lies in the payment. People are waiting for the one who should pay for this and who should pay for that. So the decision of the Cabinet is 'do not wait for payment'. It should be cremated and do not wait for the one who will settle the bill and do not point fingers,” Nograles, task force spokesperson said.
Last weekend, broadcast journalist Arnold Clavio said in a social media post that bodies had been piling up at an unnamed government hospital.
East Avenue Medical Center spokesperson Dennis Ordoña, also over the weekend, told CNN Philippines that their morgue can only accommodate five bodies, but there are as many as 20 bodies that have not been claimed.
MOA between DOH, DILG and National Federation of Mortuary Stakeholders
Binay said that the Department of Health or the Department of the Interior and Local Government can enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Federation of Mortuary Stakeholders “to ensure the proper handling of remains in hospitals, homes and quarantine centers based on IATF guidelines.”
Binay noted that while the Department of Social Welfare and Development Revised Guidelines on [Assistance to Individuals for Crisis Situations] for burial assistance that it will shoulder part of the funeral costs and the family can receive up to P10,000 assistance even if they did file a case study report.
“For the bereaved families of the COVID, DSWD can increase the [assistance]. The cost they shoulder is a big help them move on from the pandemic,” she also said.
A Pilipino Star Ngayon report said that Deputy Minority Leader Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna) and Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares said they received information that funeral parlors ask P45,000 to P75,000 from families who lost loved ones due to COVID-19.
On Monday, the Philippines reported 284 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national tally to 4,932.
Fatality is at 315, while recoveries stood at 242. — Kristine Joy Patag
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