“I think this is timely. Life is uncertain, this is timely because time is fleeting. Marami po akong na-experience na ‘yung mga namamatayan, namatayan na nga sila tapos nagiging confused pa sila kung ano ang gagawin nila at ano ang uumpisahan nila. Wala silang alam kung ano ang preperasyon kapag namamatayan, hindi ka na nakakaiyak sa umpisa. Tulala ka muna bago ka makakaiyak. At dahil nalilito ka, hindi mo alam ang mga gusto niya (namatay) kasi usually ang mga parents, they find it morbid if we talk about insurance, if we talk about ‘yung katapusan, passing on. But we have to face it. I think the subject of death is being supressed but it will come to all of us,” actress and now writer Marissa Sanchez on her book ‘My Farewell Slambook with Scrapbook.’

It’s an unusual book, talking about the details of what you wanted on your death, giving instructions and all. It’s like a last will and testament of a person, and as per Ogie Diaz, Marissa’s manager, it can be a person’s last will and testament as long as the book is notarized and signed by the one who filled out the slambook.

But if you think about it, this is something everyone should have. Marissa’s right, time is fleeting and we don’t know what will happen tomorrow or even ten, twenty or thirty minutes after reading (writing as for me) this article.

Like what a slambook contains, the book has a chapter wherein you can fill out everything people need to know about you. At least the shareable details. You can fill out from your name, to your favorite motto and the photo you want people to see at your funeral. It may be uncomfortable to think about but it’s actually a chance for everyone to choose how they want, or how we want our funeral to look like and how we want people close to us to celebrate our life when we pass on.

But more than that, the book is also a chance to give power to the right person who we will leave behind.

I have a friend who died of a heart attack years ago. It was all sudden. No last will and testament or at least one that is written and signed by him. So automatically, everything will be left to his family even though they abandoned him for some time and he made a family for himself through his friends including me. It was a circus but because it was the law and with respect to his soul, we just let the family decide.

‘My Farewell Slambook with Scrapbook’ is not just a book, it’s actually an opportunity for people to choose about something that is meant to celebrate a person for the last time.

Watch our interview below: