Question for members My wifes parents both still live in the PI and will remain there, while my wife and I will likely remain either in the States or somewhere in Europe when I retire. So, has any member either prepared for the passing away of his wife's family in the Philippines? It certainly seems very expensive for the Philippines when you look at the "St Peters" website. While the wife is understandably a little reluctant to look into this it is something I want to be prepared for Thank you
Funeral costs in Philippines vary considerably, but are generally comparable to the costs in UK. Means relatively high for Philippines. It's quite possible, and recommended to purchase a funeral plan. Sorry I don't have example costs but you should be able to find these by a google search. Over the past 10 years my wife has lost her father and two brothers. I can tell that the costs were high. When her younger brother passed away 2010 the total funeral costs came to about P350K
that's what i had heard and read about the costs. Kind of hard to understand in a country like the Philippines. That's why i want to prepare now so as there are no shocks. I'm going to get my wife's sister to check in the office of St Peters in Cebu and see what is on offer. Someone is clearly making a large profit and hard to see how most can afford those costs!! Thanks
I hope for us that this is many years away, I would be devastated to lose Ana's mum. There are much cheaper funerals available, a couple of years back one of our local hairdressers died of a heart attack, he was a big bloke, his boss who owned the shop (Filipino bloke) put on a great funeral for him, many many locals gave a small amount to help including us, I think we gave about 1500 peso, this is basically how they manage it's shared as best as possible. I remember being told of a price around 50,000 peso, he had a nice coffin and I'm assuming most of the cost is rendering the body to bones or ash, the available spaces are few and far between, if you are poor you end up as a plaque on a wall. I've posted this one before, same graveyard as Ana's Papa but not our family. The rendered remains are stored behind the plaque, not sure if it is bones or ash, you have to pay every 5 years to prevent removal of the remains P.S. those who could not afford a memorial engraving often had hand written memorials scraped in the concrete, so sad to see that
I would far rather be buried in the Phils rather than here, when Ana was here in 2007 in November she insisted we go to my mum's grave on November 1st, we were the only people in the cemetery compare that to this picture from Manila. (again I've posted this before) or this one I have always found watching Filipinos remembrance of family very moving.
Difficult to say how much a funeral costs, it is like anywhere else in the world, depends on what the Family wants. Leaving aside the time prior the passing away, the following costs will arise for the remaining family: 1.) The Wake... depending on the size and location of the family it can vary from a 10 days to a month. It is normal that the Family provides food and certain shelter for the mouners in form of chairs and tents, which have to be rented from somewhere. Only if the last family member ( sometimes from the US and further) has given their last respect ( or the chance to give) the Actual funeral can take place. 2.) The last resting place : This can be quite expensive, there are very beautiful places one can buy his grave, or sometimesjust a simple space in the wall for the "vase". Choice is up to the Family.Plots/spaces costs between a few hundred and a million php (no limit up !) 3.) Other arrangements such as the mass and other occasions.One can have an exclsuive mass for nth thousand pesos or a mere mentioning for a token by the priest at 4am. 4.)The burial itself and its aftermath. Meaning, the food and other provided. Generally its not really customary to have a "funeral lunch" as this is already given weeklongs at the wake and the crowd usually dispurses after the burial. However,if one wants, he can throw a diner. And the fantasy doesnto stop there, i have received gifts similar to weddings rememberances. (Personally I did ask for cremation and disposal of my ashes at Sea ! This has the advantage that People can remember me on All Saints day on the beach instead of a graveyard. More fun for them and cheaper too !)
