Poor and indigent families across the country can now receive free funeral services under Republic Act No. 12309, or the Free Funeral Services Act, which lapsed into law on September 28, 2025.
Authored by Senator Raffy Tulfo, the law ensures that families who cannot afford burial expenses can still give their deceased loved ones a proper and dignified farewell.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the implementation in coordination with local government units and accredited funeral homes nationwide.
⚙️ Who Can Avail
Families may qualify for free funeral assistance if they meet all the following conditions:
• Family income: ₱15,000 or below per month (total income of everyone in the household)
• No property: Must not own any house, lot, or vehicle
• Barangay certification: Must be declared indigent or extremely poor by the barangay or the local social welfare office
• Residency: Filipino citizens living in the Philippines
• Limit: Only one family member per month per funeral home may be granted the service
⚰️ What’s Covered
Qualified families will receive a basic funeral package that includes:
• Preparation of funeral documents
• Embalming and cosmetic services
• Plain casket or urn (for cremation)
• Two-to-three days of viewing at home or barangay hall
• Lighting and viewing equipment
• Transport of remains within a 25-kilometer radius
• Burial or cremation services—
The free funeral services shall cover the preparation of documents, embalming, the provision of a casket or urn, burial, cremation, or inurnment, and transport of the remains.
—Section 4, Republic Act No. 12309
• Burial or cremation schedules limited to weekdays, 8 AM to 5 PM
📄 Requirements
Families must present the following to the DSWD or an accredited mortuary:
1️⃣ Certificate of Indigency from the barangay or LGU social welfare office
2️⃣ Death Certificate of the deceased
3️⃣ Funeral Contract signed by the family, the mortuary, and a DSWD representative
4️⃣ Valid ID of the applicant or family representative
5️⃣ Social Case Study Report prepared by a licensed social worker confirming financial status and eligibility
⚖️ Penalties
• Funeral homes that refuse to provide service may be fined up to ₱400,000 and risk license suspension.
• Individuals who falsify documents or fraudulently claim the benefit may face up to six months imprisonment and fines of up to ₱500,000.
☁️ Reality Check
While the law aims to help the poor, only those officially listed as indigent can avail of the service.
Those with no ID, no address, or no barangay record—like street dwellers or “taong grasa“—are not covered under RA 12309.
In such cases, local governments may still step in using their unclaimed remains or crisis aid funds, but it’s handled separately from this law.
🌤️ Bottom Line
RA 12309 may not reach everyone at the very bottom, but it gives struggling families a way to say goodbye with dignity—proof that even small laws can bring a little light to where it’s darkest.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
