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February 16, 2025 | 5:42pm
Caretakers clean and paint the tombs at the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on Oct. 22, 2022 in preparation for the All Souls' Day.
STAR / KJ Rosales
MANILA, Philippines — A measure recognizing the rights of Muslims to bury their deceased according to their beliefs and traditions is now headed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for approval, Senate President Francis Escudero said in a statement on Saturday, February 15.
"Our Muslim brothers and sisters have long been waiting for this law that will guarantee their loved ones are buried shortly after their death," Escudero said.
"There should be no more questions about the protocols to be followed when it comes to the burial of Muslims anywhere in the country,” he added.
House Bill No. 8925, also known as the Philippine Islamic Burial Act, permits the immediate burial of deceased Muslims without requiring a death certificate beforehand.
However, the person performing the Islamic burial rites or the deceased’s next of kin must report the death to the local health officer within 14 days after the burial.
The measure also mandates that remains should be released from hospitals within 24 hours—whether or not hospital bills and other associated costs have been settled—ensuring adherence to Islamic burial customs.
In a related move, the Senate has also approved Senate Bill No. 1273, or the Equal Access to Public Cemeteries Act, which mandates the allocation of burial spaces in public cemeteries for Muslims, indigenous peoples (IPs), and other religious groups.
The bill seeks to ensure that all communities can observe their traditional burial practices without hindrance.
Should a public cemetery lack designated spaces for these groups, the bill directs local government units to acquire land—including outside their jurisdiction—to establish compliant burial grounds.
"Binibigyan natin ng halaga ang mga paniniwala at tradisyon ng ating mga kapatid na Muslim, mga IPs, at iba pang relihiyon sa paglilibing ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. In policy planning and in the delivery of services to our people, we must ensure that no group or sector is neglected," Escudero said.
