Funeral costs sometimes push families into debt

With death sometimes comes debt.

In Marisol Abdurahman' s report on "GMA's 24 Oras," the Oballes family had to spend about P100,000, including borrowed money,  for the funeral and burial services alone of their deceased patriarch.

"Mahirap mamatay. Kargo lahat, hindi mawawalan, meron talaga 'yung pangungutang... kasama na 'yun para lang maipalibing," Edwin Oballes said.

Bayan Muna Partylist representative Carlos Zarate said the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law also caused a spike in the prices of funeral services.

"Hindi lang mga buhay ang nasasagasaan ng TRAIN, pero pati mga patay na rin. Sa minimum ay tumaas ng P1,000 ang funeral services sa ngayon," Zarate said.

A funeral parlor in Manila offers a P10,000 service package that includes a casket as its cheapest deal.

The price of the funeral package varies, and may reach up to P75,000 depending on the type of coffin.

The rental of air-conditioned funeral chapels that comes with a room, a comfort room, and a kitchen costs P10,000 per day.

On the other hand, regular chapels without air-condition units are leased at P3,500 per day.

Internment fees come at different prices too, depending on the type of cemetery plot.

In Manila North Cemetery, the apartment type costs P600 for every 5 years of occupancy.

The VIP apartment type, meanwhile, is priced at around P3,000 for the same period of occupancy.

Burial fees are waived for indigent residents of Manila.

Meanwhile, in Pasay City Public Cemetery, the rental fee for each niche costs P150-P200 every year.

Lots are rented at an annual rate of P50 per square meter. Its cremation services has a price range from P2,000-15,000.

In Mandaluyong City, a public columbarium unit costs P1,500-2,000 per year.

On the other hand, the Heritage Memorial Park's premier chapel package ranges from P780,000-P2,456,000. — Dona Magsino/ LDF, GMA News