Senate President Francis Escudero announced that a bill ensuring the right of Muslims to bury their deceased according to Islamic customs is now awaiting President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s signature.
“There should be no more questions about the protocols to be followed when it comes to the burial of Muslims anywhere in the country,” Escudero said.
“Our Muslim brothers and sisters have long been waiting for this law that will guarantee their loved ones are buried shortly after their death,” the senator explained.
The House of Representatives has agreed to adopt the Senate’s amendments to House Bill No. 8925, also known as the Philippine Islamic Burial Act.
The proposed law allows the immediate burial of deceased Muslims without a death certificate, as long as the person performing the burial or the next of kin reports the death to the local health officer within 14 days.
Hospitals and other facilities must release the remains within 24 hours, regardless of whether outstanding bills have been settled, to comply with Islamic burial practices.
A separate but related measure, Senate Bill No. 1273 or the Equal Access to Public Cemeteries Act, was also passed to ensure that Muslims, indigenous peoples, and other religious groups have dedicated burial spaces.
Under this bill, local government units must designate specific areas in public cemeteries for these groups, allowing them to follow their burial customs and traditions.
If public cemeteries do not meet the required standards, local officials are responsible for acquiring additional land, even beyond their jurisdiction, to construct compliant burial sites.
“In policy planning and in the delivery of services to our people, we must ensure that no group or sector is neglected,” he said.
Islamic tradition requires that the deceased be buried as soon as possible, typically within 24 hours, which sometimes conflicts with existing bureaucratic procedures.
The Code of Muslim Personal Laws, enacted in 1977, already governs marriage, family, and property matters for Filipino Muslims but lacks clear national guidelines for burial practices.
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, established in 2010, has been working to address these concerns and advocate for policies that respect Muslim traditions.
Some local governments have taken steps to accommodate Muslim burial customs, such as the Manila Islamic Cemetery, inaugurated in 2021 at the Manila South Cemetery.
“We value the beliefs and traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters, indigenous peoples, and other religions in burying their loved ones,” Escudero said.