When the Bell Tolls for No One

by Chester Datoon

Inflation, which continues to plague the Filipino population, is expected to degrade living conditions as necessities become more unaffordable. With the annual Undas approaching, the short-term diaspora of urban Filipinos to their hometown begins, commemorating the lives of our beloved ones as well as serving as a reunion with family and relatives. However, given the country’s current economic state, celebrating the life once lived of our dearly departed has become an ever-increasing financial burden.

The 2021 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report indicates a death rate of 6.98 per 1000 Filipinos, signifying a 25% increase compared to the previous year, explained by the emergence of the pandemic. Furthermore, based on the 2022 preliminary top 10 causes of mortality in the Philippines of PSA, 68.1% of the causes of death in the country stem from medical reasons such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer.

A Generous Estimate of Cost of Death

Calculating the cost of death begins with a death registration, which ranges from Php 150 to Php 500 based on 2022 estimates from several news sources, depending on the nature of the burial site and the municipality. Next would be the price of the casket, which significantly depends on the casket’s material and size. Wooden coffins with little to no design can cost around Php 3,000, while high-end bronze caskets may cost Php 85,000 or more.

However, the cost doesn’t end with the casket and the certificate alone. As part of the Filipino tradition, a mortuary care package is necessary to arrange the viewing service and the memorial mass at the cemetery. The 2022 estimates of mortuary care packages start at Php 8,000 for the cheapest package. At the same time, premium services offered by high-end funeral parlors can even go up from Php 300,000 to Php 500,000.

But it doesn’t stop there. Some mortuary care packages exclude the price of the tomb, which starts at about Php 25,000 for public cemetery tombs. Factoring the cost of burial lot maintenance, which could be around 200 to Php 2,000, brings the cheapest estimated cost of death in the country to Php 36,350. Despite this, the expenses extend beyond these prices.

The Unfortunate Bigger Picture

The actual calculation of the cost of death begins with the nature of the individual’s death. As ironic as it seems, an individual dying of old age at one’s abode is the most cost-effective type of death. Yet, for the greater majority, the nature of death stems from pathological reasons, meaning hospital bills.

An investigative article in the Philippine Star in 2019 showed that about 84% of Filipinos are unable to shoulder the medical bills brought by their illness. Heart diseases can cost up to Php 980,000 for treatment, while cancer can even cost Php 2.78 million, excluding the maintenance medicine that the patient has to take.

Furthermore, it is essential to note that the numbers are estimates from previous years. Considering the ever-increasing inflation rate of the country, the cost of death in the country is beyond the grasp of most Filipinos, especially those living beneath the poverty line.

Ringing the Bell

“…Therefore, send not to know, for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

The death of an individual affects all of humanity; it is a commemoration of a life once lived; thus, we should not be indifferent about it. But in a sordid country like ours, the bell does not toll for humanity; it tolls for an endless amount of money. Hence, as we celebrate Undas wherever we are, it is necessary to inculcate within us that we live in a country where we fear death not because of its inevitability and mystery but rather because of its financial toxicity.