IPINAALALA ng Department of Interior and Local Government sa mga local government units na bawal harangin ang mga namatay sa coronavirus disease 2019 para ma-cremate o mailibing.
Iginiit ni DILG Sec. Eduardo Año na mahalaga na agad na ma-cremate o mailibing ang namatay sa COVID-19 sa loob ng 12 oras.
Ayon kay Año may natatanggap itong ulat na mayroong mga LGU na pinagbabawalan ang bangkay na makapasok sa kanilang hurisdiksyon para ma-cremate o mailibing.
“No LGU shall prohibit the cremation or burial of Covid-19 cadavers in a cemetery or memorial park located in his or her area of jurisdiction,” ani Año.
Sinabi ni Año na dapat ding maglaan ang mga LGU ng pondo para sa sahod, gasolina at iba pang gastos sa pagdadala ng bangkay.
“The cost of burial or cremation of a dead person shall be borne by the nearest kin. If the family is not financially capable of defraying the expenses or if the deceased had no kin, the cost shall be borne by the city or municipal government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” saad ng kalihim.
Ang mga crematorium o funeral parlor na tatanggi umano na tumanggap ng namatay sa COVID-19 ay dapat kanselahin ang business permit.
“LGUs shall monitor and penalize funeral parlors and crematoriums that refuse to provide logistics and transport of suspect or confirmed Covid-19 remains, including refusal to pick-up the remains.”