BY CARLA GOMEZ
on Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez yesterday launched a program that will provide P10,000 in burial assistance toindigents in the third district of Negros Occidental, which is estimated to cost about P30 million annually.

Benitez, who just returned from a two-week course on “Leadership in Developing Countries” at Harvard University in the United States, led the launching of the Asenso Metro 3 rd Burial Assistance Program, along with the mayors of the third district, at Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City.

The congressman and mayors Francis Palanca of Victorias, Marvin Malacon of EB Magalona, Mark Golez of Silay City, Neil Lizares of Talisay City,and Andrew Montelibano of Murcia signed a memorandum of understanding that sets the program for two years from July 2017 to July 2019.

The program will be funded by the LGUs with a counterpart from his congressionaloffice, that will also help LGUs access national funds, Benitez said. Several funeral parlors have agreed to provide a P10,000 complete funeral services package for the deceased, he added.

Under the program, P10,000 will be given to the family of a deceased person who is not a member of the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System or any private insurance.

If the deceased is a member of the GSIS, SSS or any private insurance, P5,000 will be given to his or her family.

The funds will be paid directly to the funeral parlors, he added.

Initially, the program is for indigents but if there is enough resources to give everyone, that will probably be covered in the next phase, Benitez said.

“This will really be a game changer in the delivery of service to the people,” Benitez said.

The mayors, in turn, thanked Benitez for institutionalizing the burial assistance program.

Palanca said they have been implementing a similar program in VictoriasCity for four years already on the initiative of Benitez. In the past they used to give about P1,000 to P2,000 in burial assistance but it was not enough and the bereaved ended up victims of loan sharks, he added.

Malacon said the resources of EBMagalonaare very meager, when he assumed the mayorship they could only give about P2,000 in assistance so raising the amount to P10,000 will be a big help.

Lizares said the local government's being able to counterpart with the congressman on the burial assistance will be a big help to his constituents.

Murcia Vice Mayor Gerardo Rojas said in Murcia they have been giving a maximum of P2,000 in burial assistance so the program launched yesterday will be a big help to bereaved families.*CPG