It’s a practical proposal that should be considered.
“Iloilo Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr. has filed House Bill 3848, a measure that would mandate local government units to establish public crematoriums that will give free cremation to indigent families,” reports Dennis Carcamo on Philstar.com.
In his explanatory note for the bill, Defensor said, “The cost of dying has outpaced the cost of living in our country.” Owing to the Filipino culture, the most pervasive practice of grieving for one’s loss is still the customary funeral and burial. Such expenses, however, have become more and more burdensome with each passing year.”
Bottom line: We can grieve for our dead, but not to the extent that we have to kill ourselves for it.
Defensor added that poor families still spend around PHP18,000 or more when a loved one dies. It’s an amount that they can use for their daily needs instead.
Photo by Robert Vinas of Presidential Communications Operations Office, Office of the President (WikiCommons)
