The House of Representatives approved the proposed measure that seeks to set guidelines on the proper handling of the remains of deceased Muslim Filipinos – in accordance to Islamic rites – on its third and final reading.

A total of 234 lawmakers favored the bill with no abstain during the House Plenary Session, meaning that the House Bill No. 8925 or the proposed Philippine Islamic Burial Act was approved.

Authored by at least 10 Muslim-FIlipino officials representing various legislative districts in Mindanao, the HB 8925 would allow the burial of a deceased Muslim without a death certificate, if enacted into law.

The burial will be reported by the person who performed the Islamic burial rites of the one of kin of the deceased to a local health office, who will then prepare the death certificate.

Moreover, the HB 8925 will require the death certificate and the cause of death to be forwarded to the Local Civil Registrar for registration within 30 days.

According to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the measure seeks to further validate the free exercise of religion enshrined in the country’s Constitution, allowing the Muslim brothers and sisters to bury their dead without any prohibition and hindrance.

In the proposed bill reads, “for burial purposes, in accordance with Islamic rites, Muslim cadavers shall be released within 24 hours by the hospital, medical clinic, funeral parlor, morgue, custodial and prison facilities, or other similar facilities, persons who are in actual care, custody of the cadaver.”

“Non-payment of hospital bills, medical expenses, professional fees, cost of wrapping and shipment, or any other charges shall in no case be made as a reason for the withholding of the release and shipment of the cadaver,” it warned.

Nevertheless, the measure allows the Muslim-Filipino family to “execute a promissory note for the unpaid obligation, or any other existing payment scheme acceptable to the other party.”

The authors of the said bill are Reps. Manuel Jose "Mannix" M. Dalipe, Princess Rihan M. Sakaluran, Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo, Wilter Y. Palma, Mujiv S. Hataman, Munir N. Arbison Jr., Bai Dimple I. Mastura, Sittie Aminah Q. Dimaporo, JC Abalos, Dimszar M. Sali, Yasser Alonto Balindog, Zia Alonto Adiong, and Mohamad P. Paglas.