“Magkano ang lahat?” It is one of the first questions families ask, and one of the hardest to answer without knowing the details. Here is an honest look at what makes up the cost of a funeral in General Santos City, and how to keep it within your means.
What makes up the cost of a funeral
| Expense | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Funeral home package | Transfer of remains, embalming and mortuary care, casket, and wake setup. The casket is often the biggest single item. |
| Wake venue | A home wake avoids venue costs. Chapels charge per day, and air-conditioned rooms cost more. |
| Viewing days | Packages include a set number of days; extra days are charged separately. |
| Flowers and tarpaulin | Floral arrangements and the memorial tarpaulin with the photo and dates. |
| Interment | Delivery to the cemetery, plus the cemetery's own fees for the lot, niche or tomb, opening and closing, and the lapida (marker). |
| Permits and documents | Death certificate registration, burial permit and certified copies. |
| Church or service fees | Funeral Mass, blessing or other religious rites. |
Typical price ranges
Prices vary widely between providers and depend on your choices. As a general guide, the casket, the venue and the number of viewing days make the biggest difference, and chapel-based services with premium caskets cost considerably more than a simple home wake. Cemetery fees are separate and differ greatly between public cemeteries and private memorial parks.
The best way to know the real cost is to ask for a written breakdown from the funeral home, including what is not included.
Costs families often forget
- Food for visitors. Coffee, bread, biscuits and meals for guests over several nights of the wake can add up significantly.
- Extra viewing days while waiting for relatives from abroad.
- Casket upgrades if your loved one needs a larger size.
- Transportation for family members and the procession.
- Service outside the city, such as burial in a hometown in another province.
- Novena and anniversary gatherings after the funeral.
How to keep funeral costs down
- Set a family budget first, then choose a package that fits it.
- Hold the wake at home if space and the neighborhood allow.
- Choose a dignified, practical casket. Love is not measured by the price of a casket.
- Agree on the number of viewing days early.
- Apply for assistance. DSWD, SSS, GSIS, OWWA and the city government may help. See our burial assistance guide.
- Accept abuloy graciously. Contributions from relatives and friends are part of Filipino bayanihan.
- Plan ahead. Joining a plan while you are healthy spreads the cost over time.
How the Love Your Neighbor Program helps
Libintia Caja Mortuary Care created the Love Your Neighbor Program so that families in Gensan would not face the full cost of a funeral at once.
- The member package is a complete funeral service package: a half-glass media caña casket, tarpaulin, house decoration and flowers.
- Members make small contributions per cadaver, with a smaller share per beneficiary.
- Up to three beneficiaries are covered under one member.
- When a member passes away, the family pays only the interment fee upon pick-up or delivery.
- Up to 7 days of viewing are included; each additional day is ₱750 per day.
Not a member? Our direct service packages
Families who need funeral care now can choose one of three direct service packages. Each includes pick-up from the hospital or residence, 7 days embalming, a full wake setup, a tarpaulin and car burial service. These packages are exclusive to General Santos City.
- Set 1, ₱25,000: orgoy flattop casket and flower bouquet
- Set 2, ₱28,000: orgoy casket and flowers up and down
- Set 3, ₱32,500: orgoy plane casket and flowers up and down
These are starting packages. The price depends on the casket you choose, and the decoration is adjusted to match, so call us for more packages. See everything each set includes.
Want an exact quote for a funeral in General Santos City? Call Libintia Caja at 0991-575-5797. We will explain every cost clearly before you decide.
Price information in this article is a general guide and may change. Contact us for current package rates and interment fees.