How Does One Leave This World?
Iris Palma in Tips and Advices
Jan 06, 2020 • 3 min Read
Scenario 1: A Destitute Dies
A man suffered from acute diabetes and kidney failure. His heart and lungs were filled with water so he had difficulty breathing. He was almost dying. He had no immediate family member in the Philippines to take care of him. He had a wife and a daughter, and a number of children from two other women. None was living with him that time. He had no money and no job. His nearest relative was his mother’s brother. His first family helped him out though—from several previous hospitalizations to his medicines and even got a caregiver for him.
When he died in a public hospital from septic shock due to cellulitis, his uncle secured an indigent certificate from the barangay, applied for social service, and did not pay even a single centavo to the public hospital.
The daughter decided on having him cremated for logical reasons: there was no one to help out during the three nights of wake and all necessary tasks attendant to it. Not to mention the funeral.
What happened next was a bayanihan. The former wife borrowed money from her relatives and the few friends that the man had from his elementary and high school days raised funds. At the end of the day, there was enough money to pay for the cremation.
The cremation company fetched the body from the morgue and a short Catholic service was held at a viewing room. After one hour of waiting, the ashes were viewed and then placed in a beautiful marble urn. The urn was deposited in the crematorium’s vault because no one wanted to bring home the beautiful urn. Anyway, not such a bad end to a disheartening existence.
Total expenses: php31,500 broken down into php27,500 for the cremation + php2,000 for the Catholic service + php2,000 for two months of stay in the crematorium’s vault.
Postscript: The former wife and her daughter hope to transfer the urn in a columbary after two or three months. Social service benefits can take care of the expenses.
Scenario 2: A Planner Plans
A lady nearing 50 years old buys a cremation plan. She prefers cremation because she hated the idea of having people look at her so dead and so pale. She abhors giving people—not just friends—the opportunity to view her unglamorous dead body and to elicit comments such as: “She is so bloated.” “Why is she not smiling?” “She was beautiful, you know.” And other comments one usually hears at wakes. No, sir.
She chooses to be cremated right after being declared dead. Perhaps, she thinks, her corpse will have to bear a half-hour of Christian service extolling her non-existent virtues and those present hearing some sniffs. That would be the best view they will have of her corpse, if they do get a notice that she has died. They probably will because her agent will try to message them. Anyway, rigor mortis might not have set in yet so she would possibly be not so gray yet.
Yes, she has a family but she made plans for her own life—and death.
Total expenses: about php73,ooo stretched over five years or php3,640 every quarter
Postscript: She can die now and her family will not raise funds to pay the balance because she has already paid four premiums.
Conclusion
One, zero billing exists, my friend. Public hospitals will bail you out if you do not have money to pay the doctors. Go to the social services department. Be prepared for the questioning, and be honest, though.
Two, one’s death can be less burdensome to those you will leave behind. Know the choices, the options, and the available plans from agents. Do not be afraid to ask. Better yet, know the least costly way to go. Save up or pass this information to your relatives or friends.
Happy trip to the next life!
