Moratorium sought for funeral establishments

LA TRINIDAD Councilor Roderick Awingan has introduced an ordinance addressing the proliferation of funeral and embalming establishments in the municipality of La Trinidad.

Introduced during the local council meeting is a proposed ordinance entitled “Amending section 7 of ordinance no. 9-2013 otherwise known as the La Trinidad funeral and embalming establishment ordinance.”

Ordinance 9-2013 provides the regula-

tory measures for the establishment, operation and maintenance of funeral business in the municipality.

Section 7 of the ordinance states a three moratorium for banning the approval of new funeral homes in the valley.

After lifting the moratorium on the acceptance of new funeral business application, the business Licensing Office had reported there are already seven funeral establishments in the valley and several inquired about the opening of such enterprise.

The councilor said it may be legal but it’s over commercialization contrary to beliefs and traditions.

“Hence, in the interest of public health and safety, in our effort to preserve our cultural moral in respecting our demise, there is a need to re-enforce a moratorium on the establishment of such kind of business in the municipality, “said Awingan.

Awingan added there will be a moratorium for a period of 10 years upon the approval of the ordinance, of which within this period, all new applications for putting up a funeral establishments will not be accepted and temporarily be on hold by the municipal business licensing office.

The proposed ordinance will undergo a public hearing set on August 29 at the Lednicky hall municipal building of the Benguet town at 1:30 in the afternoon to hear inputs on the proposed ordinance.