“Every soul shall taste death, and to Us you will be returned” (Surah Al-‘Ankabut 29:57) — a passage treated with reverence. Death is not the end — it is a return. The body is washed, wrapped in white cloth, prayed over, and buried within 24 hours. No ornaments. No delay. Only dignity.

It is both a custom and a deeply rooted obligation. Delaying a Muslim burial without just cause is disruptive and spiritually distressing.

For many Filipino Muslims, especially those living far from Mindanao, delays are a familiar burden. In Metro Manila, where many have relocated to live, work, or study, a death in the family triggers a complicated process.

Most families still opt to bring the deceased home to Mindanao. But this has been difficult and often goes beyond the burial window: costly airfare, paperwork, certificates and fees. Systems built for bureaucracy, not belief, rarely make exceptions.

Thus, Republic Act 12160, the Philippine Islamic Burial Act, was conceived.

The absence of legal guidance left families at the mercy of administrative processes. Realizing the need for reform, the lawmakers acted.

In the House, Representative Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo chaired the Committee on Muslim Affairs in the 19th Congress while principal authors Zia Alonto Adiong and Yasser Alonto Balindong advanced the measure. In the Senate, Senator Robinhood Padilla championed its passage.

In consultation with scholars, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), and community leaders, the bill was finally signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on 11 April 2025.

The law ensures that Muslim remains are released within 24 hours of death, regardless of unpaid bills or certificate delays. Burial may proceed immediately. Sanctions await violations.

The Department of Health (DoH) and the NCMF were tasked with issuing the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) within 120 days. Nearly four months from the law’s effectivity, we await the implementing rules allowing the promise to take fuller shape in everyday practice.

If the IRR is still being finalized, we respectfully suggest, among other things, the following:

The DoH should direct all government hospitals to designate at least one officer trained in Islamic burial protocols — or better, designate a Muslim officer — who can facilitate the process with clarity and cultural understanding. Private hospitals, while not mandated, can be strongly encouraged to do the same.

While many families choose to return the deceased to Mindanao, not all can. Thus, LGUs with sizable Muslim populations need designated sites that meet Islamic requirements.

A few LGUs have initiated this. In his first term, Mayor Isko Moreno designated a portion of Manila’s South Cemetery as an Islamic burial site — the first in Metro Manila. For this, thank you, Mayor! Considering the growing Muslim population, perhaps another site could be designated. Mayor, baka naman… isa pa?

Prior to his Senate term, Senator Padilla founded a site in Bulacan. Another in Montalban, Rizal quietly meets the needs of a growing Muslim community and, of course, there’s the existing one in Taguig. While these are hopeful precedents, they are not yet the norm.

Hopefully, more LGUs will work with the NCMF to identify and prepare appropriate burial grounds. These plots are quiet declarations of presence since Filipino Muslims have long been part of this country — not as outsiders, but often simply unseen in its systems.

At its best, the purpose of the law is to bring clarity, balance, and unity. With this new law, Filipino Muslims can find that long-overdue equal footing during one of life’s most sacred moments.