San Juan City launches its own Right To Care card
San Juan City has officially launched its Right to Care Card program.
Spearheaded by Mayor Francis Zamora, the initiative legally empowers LGBTQIA+ couples and designated individuals to make medical decisions on behalf of their partners.
"At its core, the Right to Care card is about something very simple yet very important. The right of a person to decide whom to entrust to stand by them and help carry out their decisions when they are no longer able to communicate or decide for themselves. Through this program, residents of San Juan can formally designate a trusted person as their healthcare proxy," Zamora said on Wednesday.
The Right to Care Card is the tangible implementation of San Juan City’s Healthcare Proxy Ordinance.
Historically, non-traditional partners and LGBTQIA+ couples were often barred from making medical decisions or even visiting loved ones in intensive care due to a lack of legally recognized family ties.
This initative allows qualified individuals to designate a trusted partner as their healthcare proxy, ensuring that an individual's medical preferences and directives are fully respected if they ever become incapacitated or unable to communicate.
The card functions via a duly executed Special Power of Attorney alongside applicable healthcare laws, giving it the teeth required to be recognized by medical institutions.
To ensure the program's integrity, the city government has established a thorough, multi-step validation process managed by the Gender and Development Office, the City Legal Office, and the City Health Department.
Apart from San Juan City, Mandaluyong, Dasmariñas, Quezon City, Iloilo City, and Parañaque City have also adopted the Right to Care policy.
The system is of particular importance to queer couples. Since the Philippines has yet to legally recognize same-sex unions, many LGBTQ+ partners often face difficulties during medical emergencies, especially when it comes to hospital visitation rights and making healthcare decisions for their loved ones.
A bill aiming to institutionalize the Right to Care system in the country has now been filed in the House of Representatives.
Introduced by Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, the measure adopts provisions from Quezon City's Right to Care Ordinance, and proposals filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Reps. Perci Cendaña, Chel Diokno, Dadah Kiram Ismula, Kaka Bag-ao, and Javier Miguel Benitez.
