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It was around February that the country was alarmed because of the rising numbers of Covid-19 infections. Midway around March, the local government enforced community quarantines. Despite the continuous rise of deaths, funeral homes around Philippines are losing revenue. What’s more, the pandemic is shifting the way people conducts funerals. From intimate celebrations, it transformed into nothing.

Because of the highly-contagious nature of the virus, people are dying alone, with no family by their side, only to have their remains cremated to minimize risks of infection. As this pandemic continues to affect lives, left and right, how does it impact funerals?

A Real Tragedy

As of this writing, there are 8670 deaths recorded in the country. Despite the staggering number, this does not, in any way, benefit the situations of funeral homes and deathcare service providers. In fact, it only made matter worse for them.

Funeral homes and deathcare providers generate income through contact. By being able to help grieving families into celebrations of life, deathcare services make their operations sustainable. However, with the risks and restrictions of Covid-19, this is not possible.

What’s more, there are registered crematoriums that the government partners with for monitoring and tracking purposes. Because cremations minimizes the risks of local transmission of Covid-19, funeral homes and providers fail to make ends meet.

The reason for which is that cremations are undeniably more convenient and cheaper than conducting local and loving memorials. What’s more, funeral plan sales plummeted this year because of peoples’ realizations for the tradition of conducting funerals versus cremations.

Funeral homes and other service providers rely on the sales of pre-need plans as a means of continuing source of cash flows. Without this, funeral homes will suffer losses and may lose business opportunities.

Coping Up With the New Normal

Because businesses, such as funeral homes, need to adapt to stay adrift such tremendous losses, there can be new strategies to try. One note-worthy tactic is to utilize the advancement of technologies for grieving families to connect with each other.

Live-streaming funeral services is an up and rising method for people away from the deceased to connect with remaining family members. Even before the pandemic, live streaming is already a great idea. Another excellent measure for bringing everyone together and enjoying the solidarity of paying respects is through a radio broadcast.

Although such commemoration of loss is not the usual state or what has been considered as a tradition, funeral parlor owners need to strategize and creatively answer to the needs of grieving families.

Let’s admit it, the world has made all of us aware to be kind and sensitive for everything – color, gender, race, body type, age, vocabulary, culture- you name it. You have to be politically correct to be correct. 

But in the funeral business’ world, the stereotype that “this is for old people’s purchases” is not true. Since this is an end-of-life preparation, young people think they need for funeral homes and their pre-need plans are for the retired and the old ones. 

But this could be true as well considering, “In 2017 the life expectancy in the Philippines increased to 69.24 years. That year, the life expectancy for women was 72.82 years and for men 65.94 years.” This is according to an article by Country Economy. 

With a new House Bill 8683 which seeks to amend Section 13-A of Republic Act 8291, otherwise known as the “Government Service Insurance Act of 1997, government workers can now retire at 56. Pre-need funeral plans can now be purchased with this new and “younger” niche market, compared to the usual retirable age of 60 before – the Baby Boom generation to Generation X. 

To further understand this, Achieve Global published a very helpful article called “Age-Based Stereotypes: Silent Killer of Collaboration and Productivity” 

By Chris Blauth, Jack McDaniel, Craig Perrin, Paul B. Perrin, Ph.D. The article narrates “some of the values and traits ascribed by theorists to four generations”: 

•  The Traditional Generation (1925–1945) – “Shaped by the Great Depression and World War II.” They would be our great grandparents if still alive – very strict and traditional, family-oriented and self-sacrificing. 
• The Baby-Boom Generation (1946–1964) – “Shaped by prosperity, 1960s youth culture, and the Vietnam War.” They would be the grandparents – focused and very optimistic. They always tell and remind the new generation to save and invest. 
• Generation X (1964–1980) “Shaped by dual-career and single-parent households, and by organizational change due to globalization and technology.” The parents of the young, always busy, independent and self-sufficient. 
• Generation Y (1981–1999) and Generation Z as youngest people on earth. 

Priorities of every generation are different. The common stereotype is that Generation XYZ thinks only the Baby Boomers need funeral plans just as Generation X need to purchase educational plans for their kids. This is untrue and a common misconception for pre-need funerals. 

High-risk careers like the military, law enforcement, aviation hospitality. Even working as an Overseas Foreign Worker in some countries abroad is risky. The need to consider pre-planned funerals when on these jobs is very advantageous. Funerallink can provide information for major Funeral homes of every province in the Philippines possible wherever you are in the world.

Another misconception is the price. Younger generations would choose to invest in stocks and travel. This is not necessarily unnecessary. But booking funeral plans in advance actually save you a lot of money. Prices of goods go up every day, just as the cost of the funeral now will be twice the cost in the next ten years. Pre-planning is actually affordable.

Majority of Generation X is a realist. They speak and express themselves for what they see and what it is – no sugar coating. They speak about funeral as a part and fact of life and includes topics about death in the discussion. It is important that everyone in the family is involved in the pre-planning stage of the funeral to avoid these misconceptions. Open communication is the key to avoid the conflict of whichever generation especially on a topic such as funeral pre-planning. 

Although the traditional funeral service remains popular in the Philippines, memorial service is getting common these days. Depending on the beliefs, there are many different ways as to how it is being arranged. Ultimately, what really matters the most is honoring and remembering the deceased whether it is a funeral service or memorial service.

Why do we hold a memorial or funeral service?

Holding a memorial or funeral service is not because everyone is doing it but it is the first step of recovering from a loss. No matter how it is being arranged, this kind of service is helping the bereaved family to cope. Read more: How to Cope After a Loss

This is also the right time to show the grieving family your support, care, and love to them. During this period, the family might be so overwhelmed, scared and confused. Knowing that there are friends or an extended family to lean on in this difficult time makes moving forward faster and less depressing.

What is the difference between Memorial and Funeral Service?

The main purpose of holding a service whether a memorial or funeral service is to remember and honor the deceased. The funeral service is common and remains the preferred service in the Philippines. In the city, it is becoming normal that the viewing service is being held at the funeral chapel. In the provinces, it is expected to be held at the family’s residence.

Funeral service is when the body of the deceased is present in the casket. There will be a  viewing service that can take up to seven days. During this time, there will be a novena for the dead especially when the family is Catholic. Other religions have their own arrangements as well as holding a Bible study.

Memorial service, on the other hand, is when the body of the deceased is not present. There is no casket but it can be an urn if the deceased is cremated. Or, you will see a framed photo of the deceased in front. Unlike the funeral service which is held before the body has been buried, memorial service can be held depending on the family. It can be right after the cremation or a month later.

Either way, both of these services are important especially to the family of the deceased because it is their first step of accepting the loss of a loved one. During the service, people usually talk about their fond memories of the deceased, like how they met, who this person in their life, etc.

Which service would you choose?

In the Philippines, traditional funeral service is still the preferred service, however, memorial service is becoming popular these days. Since the cost of funeral service is not getting any cheaper, memorial service is more economical (but not cheap at all). Learn more How much is the funeral service in the Philippines

For example, some churches do not support cremation. In some tragic circumstances, when the body cannot be recovered like calamity-related death, memorial service is being held to remember the deceased person.

When the internet and social media are becoming a norm in every Filipino household, it is the perfect time to have an online presence for your funeral services. Don’t be left behind.

The Philippines has remained the leader in the most social media subscribers. Almost half of the population (47%) has an account on either Facebook or Instagram – some people have both. Ages 20 – 29 years old are the most active on social media platforms.

According to a survey, an average Filipino spends at least 3 hours and 57 minutes per day online which is the highest all over the world. Most of them use a mobile phone to access the internet. The same survey showed that 87% of the adult Filipinos have mobile phones, in which 29% of them are searching or buying products and services online.

To be part of this revolution, position your funeral service business and be at the top of the competition by getting ahead.

Learn how digital marketing can help your funeral home business:

Convenience.

Young people especially the millennials love the convenience of the internet. These days, you can buy almost everything online from food, clothing, transportation and even sending flowers. Even the Philippine government is adapting to this trend by adding online payments and bookings to their system. Funerallink, for example, offers this kind of convenience to your funeral home business.

Cost.

Creating a website for your business is a major milestone, however, it is time-consuming and can be expensive. Not to mention the regular website maintenance and making sure your website is secure. Additionally, running an online marketing campaign requires manpower and skills. But then again, digital marketing is way cheaper than the traditional way. Another advantage of being online is that you can hyper-focus your market and allows you to see the data in real time allowing you to adjust when necessary saving you a lot of money.

Customer.

To reach out to half of the population in the country, digital is the simplest and cost-effective way to do it. Especially the millennials who love searching online, talking to them online is so much easier than in any other medium.

Funerallink is the only and the first platform in the Philippines that caters to the funeral funerals. Its mission is to help you market your business online.

Advantages of listing your business at Funerallink:

No overhead cost.

You don’t have to create your own website or hire people to manage your social media. Funerallink has an amazing team that will take care of everything. It has created a technical team who oversees the website management making sure that it is user-friendly and secure.

Easy process.

Listing your business doesn’t take any special skills. Simply go to this link and fill out the necessary information. If you don’t have time to do it, no problem. Go to this page instead, and the Funerallink team will do the rest for you.

Online marketing.

Funerallink has a brilliant marketing team that works day and night. They are checking all the data to improve your web presence. They are very proactive in the digital world learning all the tricks and trends. This team does not only take care of your online presence but also make sure you are visible on social media. You don’t have to understand the metrics, algorithms and all the fancy technical terms. Funerallink has your back already.

Lowest commission.

Listing your business at Funerallink is 100% FREE. The platform doesn’t take any penny until you get your first potential customer. Once a customer booked a service to you via Funerallink, you can choose to purchase some points that will allow you to see your customer’s information. This is an equivalent to 2 – 5% of your funeral service booked. That’s a 50% savings if you are paying 10% to your agents.

Real-time notification.

Once a customer booked a funeral service, you will get notified right away. Funerallink will send both text messages and email in real-time. You will never miss a customer ever again. Just pick up the phone and talk to your customer.

There is an estimated of 1,895 death per day in the Philippines according to the World Population Review website. Be the first funeral service to keep in touch with the family to help them with funeral service for their deceased loved one.

Filipinos are known for how much we treasure our relationships that we are always ready to cross the bridge to show our support to someone we loved the most.

In 2018, there is an estimated 2.3 million of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), and not to mention that there are millions of Filipinos who are away from their family for work. These days, the internet has made our lives so much easier. Communication is faster, sending presents are more convenient and buying online is becoming a norm.

However, there are days that words aren’t enough such as when a friend needs our sympathy. Saying our condolences feels like not enough and we would like to send more than just words. If you are hundreds of miles away, when a plane ticket is too expensive to buy, the last thing we can do is to send our sympathy through flowers, mass cards, some sweets, and beverages. Then again, there are not a lot of platforms that offer these kinds of service.

Talking about death and how you’d like it to be when the day comes have remained a taboo in the country. Offering a service for a funeral is very challenging especially online. It’s not something that people would like to see on their newsfeed first thing in the morning.

Here are some companies that offer online services to help the grieving family:

Funerallink allows you to get a funeral service online. If you like to help a friend to pay for the funeral service, you can book a funeral home. This service is new in the Philippines and it’s the only platform available in the country so far. Their aim is to help people find a funeral home and book the service in just one place. The best thing is there is no additional cost for you. It is convenience right on your fingertips during this very sensitive time in your life and to the people you love.

Not only you can book funeral services online, but you can also now send flowers or fruit basket through PhilFlower. You may choose the sizes, colors and the kind of flower to be sent. The same goes for the fruit basket.

When you chose to get a Mass card, you can have one at Kalidades or an E-mass card from our Jesuit brothers.

Services offered by MyTindahan if you are living in the Visayas, or HonestBee if you are living around Metro Manila, they allow you to send food and beverages that are appropriate during the wake and viewing service. Such as sweets, biscuits, juice, tea, coffee, and creamer.

These kinds of services not only help you and a grieving friend to save ample time but also, it offers a lot of conveniences. Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, for example, has already included in their funeral package to process all the documents you need when a loved one passed away. You don’t need to visit all the government agencies to procure the legal papers needed.

For a friend or a relative who is miles away, it will lessen the feeling of being sorry of not being physically present during this time of need. Send flowers, food, or even pay for the funeral service to make you feel better and your loved one most especially.

Photo credits: Pixabay

Christmas is supposed to be all about parties, family gatherings, and high school reunion. It’s the happiest time of the year when everyone takes a time off from work and students have a short school vacation to celebrate Christmas as well as New Year’s Day.

In the Philippines, Christmas season starts on September 1st. The malls, offices and the streets are starting to light up with decors and lights. Jose Mari Chan’s famous song, Christmas in Our Hearts, is played in every radio station. Event venues are filling up and countless party invitations.

Everyone’s getting ready for the biggest and the most important holiday in the country. Children are excited about their gifts. Family members and relatives who are living overseas are starting to arrive. It is indeed the most exciting day of the year.

As happy as it sounds, nobody can ever predict or stop death from coming to our lives. It will come in the least expected even on Christmas. The joyful holiday will turn upside-down; happiness will turn into grief, sadness, and loss. This is the toughest and perhaps, the biggest trial you’ll ever face in your lifetime. Christmas will never be the same again.

How to Cope Grief on Christmas:

1. Let yourself to feel sad and remember the deceased loved one.
2. For the last time, do the things that you do together even now that you will do it alone.
3. Visit the places that you used to go together but you can invite someone to go with you.
4. Share some of the memories to others. Talk about the quirkiest moment you had with this person.
5. Write a letter to that person allowing to let go of your emotion and tell the things you’ve always wanted to tell to that person.

It’s okay to have fun.

You might have lost someone dear to you but it doesn’t mean you also lost your right to enjoy the holiday. Going to parties, exchanging gifts with the family, eating out, or going to the beach is a perfect diversion and is actually alright.

Each person has their own way of coping with grief. Some people take months while others take a year, one thing to remember is you need to take care of yourself. You need to continue your life while keeping the memories of your deceased loved one alive in your heart.

It’s okay to get some sleep.

Instead of attending parties, you will be meeting well-wishers. In the Philippines, viewing can take three days to a week. Oftentimes, it will drain your energy. You don’t have to be there every single time a visitor comes. Take a time off and sleep.

It’s okay to stick to your healthy diet.

This is the time when you need to stick to your diet healthy. You will be showered with mixed emotions and difficult to think straight. What you can do is try not to splurge on high-sugar foods such as chocolate and cakes. Yogurt, low-sugar dark chocolate, and Omega-3 rich food are excellent during this time. Green tea is a perfect drink to have. It will help you relax. These food and drink are known to have happy-enzymes. Thus, helping you to be in control of your emotions.

It’s okay to be with family and friends.

Welcome your family and friends when they want to spend time with you. Go out and enjoy the moment with them. They are all that you have right now. Your family and friends are your strong foundation. Pretty sure, they are very much willing to lend their shoulder for you to cry on.

When someone in the family passed away on Christmas, everything is going to change. The holiday vacation that you have been planning might be canceled. Death is inevitable. In order for you to have more time with your family, and to have a hassle-free funeral service, you may check out Funerallink. You can choose the best funeral home nearest you and that fits your budget.

Photos from FreePik.

Even in death, the spirit of inflation creeps into the grave. There’s no escaping to the constant increase in prices including funeral services.

Three things that affect the funeral business:

The president of the Philippine Mortuary Association, Renato Dychanco, stated three things that affect the funeral business. One of which is the soaring prices of the commodities that limits the purchasing power of the consumers, the fuel prices, and lastly, the call for a salary increase.

Dychanco is the owner of Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, one of the largest funeral companies in the country. He added that they are forced to pass some of the costs to the customers. The funeral business like any other companies also needs to survive. Although the price increase on the funeral services isn’t so significant and reasonable.

The volatile prices of fuel from the foreign market greatly affects the business. Ninety percent of the fuel requirement in the Philippines is being imported internationally. Cremation, for example, is affected by the fuel increase plus the logistics fleet. Indirectly, the increase in the electricity rate has also affected the business.

Aside from the oil price increase, another factor that causes inflation is the insufficient rice supply and the exchange rate against the US dollar. The Philippine peso has been weak since the US increased its interest rates, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion known as TRAIN Law, however, has a very low contribution. Under this law, the employees have higher take-home wages. The problem is the prices of the commodities such as rice, toiletries, and utilities have gone high forcing the workers to call for a salary hike.

For the traditional wake, the package starts at Php 18,000 at Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes. While if you are going to opt for cremation, it will cost between Php 25,000 to Php 30,000 exclusive of the viewing and burial.

One way to get ready when the day comes is to get one of those pre-need services. It will allow you to pay a small amount every month for 5 years. This way it wouldn’t be so much of a burden to cash out a huge amount when the time comes. Pre-need funeral insurance is transferable and assignable which means a family member can use your policy when there is a need.

Funerallink is an online service that specializes in funeral services. It simplifies how you find funeral homes near you. Find the nearest funeral homes, get all the information you need, and book the service you think fits your requirement in just a few clicks. It saves time and allows you to focus on what really matters the most, being with your family.

Death is imminent. Nobody has ever been ready for it. Let not financial problem adds to your load. You may contact Funerallink anytime and speak to their customer service to help guide you to have decent funeral services without additional cost.

Original post: Sunstar