NavoHimlayan provides free cremation for deceased Covid-19 victims

Navotas’ city-owned and operated NavoHimlayan offers free cremation for patients who died of coronavirus disease 2019.

Since March 22, 37 deceased persons under investigation (PUI) or patients positive of COVID-19 in Navotas have been cremated at no cost to the bereaved families.

Cremation services at NavoHimlayan cost between P12,000 to P18,000.

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“Cremation is expensive and can deplete a family’s resources, especially at this time when everyone is struggling to cope with the health crisis. Through the NavoHimlayan, we hope to somehow lessen the burden of families who lost their loved ones to COVID-19,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.

The city also secured a memorandum of agreement with a private funeral home for the transport of the remains.

Under the MOA, the funeral home will pick up the deceased from the hospital or his/her home within 12 hours of death and bring the body to the NavoHimlayan.

The City will shoulder the P8,000 transportation cost and provide each staff of the NavoHimlayan and the funeral home with personal protective equipment.

Both staff have also been given training by the Navotas City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on the proper handling of the remains.