The 37-member Quezon City council has passed an ordinance sanctioning funeral parlors and crematoriums that would reject cadavers of victims of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) or charge higher service fees from the families of the deceased.
“Under this ordinance, funeral homes and crematoriums cannot reject remains of deceased COVID-19 patients due to fear of infection or other unjustifiable reasons,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
The measure also prohibits funeral homes and crematoriums from increasing service fees compared to their prices prior to the declaration of the community quarantine on March 12.
“This is to protect grieving families of deceased COVID-19 victims from unscrupulous funeral parlors or crematoriums that may take advantage of the situation,” Belmonte said.
Funeral parlors and crematoriums that would violate the ordinance could face a maximum fine of P5,000 per violation and subsequent revocation of their business permit.
The ordinance mandates local hospitals and health care facilities within Quezon City to observe the mandatory cremation of COVID-19 patients within 12 hours from time of death so as to avoid the spread of the virus, among others.
The city government shall shoulder the costs of the cremation if the deceased is an indigent resident.
Should the family abandon the cadaver of the deceased or has failed to arrange for the cremation within 12 hours, the city government may take custody of the remains and have it cremated.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City government is asking for manpower augmentation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the enforcement of the quarantine discipline amid the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).
Belmonte formally extended her request after a series of meetings with top officials of the AFP’s Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.
“The AFP will be of big help to us in the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine,” she said.
The AFP could augment city, barangay and Quezon City Police District personnel in manning checkpoints, barangays under extreme ECQ, and in ensuring social distancing in public places such as markets, she said.
“With additional uniformed personnel, the public will be deterred from going out, and the City’s enforcement of home quarantine and social distancing will be greatly strengthened,” the city mayor said.
The AFP JTF-NCR expressed willingness to extend assistance beyond its current membership in the city’s law and order cluster, led by retired Brig. Gen. and former QCPD district director Elmo San Diego, who is also the head of the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety.
According to assistant city administrator for operations Alberto Kimpo, the city needs additional manpower to enforce EECQ in barangays with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, ensure social distancing in city-owned public markets and assist private markets in implementing such measures.
“Additional manpower assistance is needed to implement and maintain the general rules of quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he said.
