Right to Care card

Right to Care card
Front side sample of the Quezon City card
TypeHealthcare proxy / Power of attorney card
First issued2023
In circulationYes (in select local government units only)
Valid inselect healthcare providers in some cities and provinces in the Philippines (see below)
EligibilityLGBTQ city residents with a partner[a]
RightsAbility to make medical decisions in behalf of one's designated partner.
Websitewww.facebook.com/RightToCareCard

The Right to Care card is a document issued by some municipal governments in the Philippines for LGBTQ couples who are city residents.

History

The Right to Care card was first introduced by the Quezon City government.[1] It was launched on June 24, 2023, by the Quezon City government under Mayor Joy Belmonte coinciding with Pride Month observance.[2][3][4] The project is a partnership between the city government and MullenLowe Treyna.[5][6] The idea to enable LGBTQ people to give their partner permission to make medical decisions in behalf of each other via a special power of attorney was conceived by MullenLowe Treyna associate creative director Adrian de Guzman back in 2020.[7]

The implementation of the relevant program was launched in select hospitals under the Quezon City government such as the Quezon City General Hospital, Novaliches District Hospital, and Rosario Maaclang Bautista General Hospital.[8] The city government intends to secure partnerships with privately run hospitals within the city.[3] By June 2024, 800 couples have registered for Quezon City Right to Care Card and 78 couples have been issued with their cards.[7]

It took two more years since the Quezon City's card's launch, for another local government unit to adopt a similar program.[1] On June 13, 2025, San Juan in Metro Manila passed the City Ordinance No. 16 series of 2025, authorizing a Right to Care card for city residents.[9]

Other cities, municipalities and provinces followed suit.[1] Cavite is the first province to implement a similar measure when it passed Provincial Ordinance No. 532-2026 on April 20, 2026.[10]

Proposed nationwide implementation

The institutionalizing of a Right to Care system has been proposed in the Philippine Congress; both at the House of Representatives and the Senate level.[11]

Senator Risa Hontiveros filed her version of the Right to Care Bill under Senate Bill No. 1985 in the Senate.[12]

Localities with Right to Care

Cities

City / municipality Date Enacting document ID Card name Ref.
Quezon CityJune 24, 2023 – Launch
October 20, 2023 – Ordinance		City Ordinance No. 3221Right to Care ID[13]
San Juan, Metro ManilaJune 13, 2025City Ordinance No. 16Right to Care ID[9]
Iloilo CityMarch 25, 2026City ordinanceHealth Care Proxy Card[14][15]

Ordinances were also passed in Dasmariñas, Mandaluyong, and Parañaque[1]

Provinces

Province Date Enacting document ID Card name Ref.
CaviteApril 20, 2026Provincial Ordinance No. 532CareCavite ID[10]
CebuJune 1, 2026Executive Order No. 29Right to Care ID[16]

Benefits

Prior to the launch of the card, hospitals and other medical facilities only allow legal spouses or next of kin to make important medical decisions in behalf of an individual. This excludes same-sex partners from doing the same. They have to secure a special power of attorney (SPA).[4]

The card could be availed through the Quezon City gender and development (GAD) office. It contains a QR code linking to the relevant notarized SPA.[4]

Right to Care began as an initiative to protect LGBTQIA+ couples. But as different government levels began adopting the card, but some jurisdictions also cover other Filipinos in non-traditional relationship unrecognized by the law during medical emergencies:[17]

  • Solo parents
  • Senior citizens
  • Non-marital couples
  • Persons with disabilities
  • OFW families
  • Estranged individuals

Notes

  1. ↑ Same-sex unions is not recognized at a national level in the Philippines

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Antonio, Josiah (June 22, 2026). "After 3 years: The ripple effect of the Right to Care program". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  2. ↑ "QC gov't launches 'Right to Care' card". Manila Bulletin. June 25, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Abrogar, Sofia (July 4, 2023). "CHR lauds QC's Right to Care card, calls for more policies for LGBTQIA+". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Mateo, Janvic (June 25, 2023). "Quezon City launches 'Right to Care' card for LGBTQIA+ couples". Philstar.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  5. ↑ "MullenLowe Treyna and Quezon City Launch 'Right to Care Card' for LGBTQIA+ Couples in the Philippines". LBBOnline. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  6. ↑ "MullenLowe Treyna and Quezon City launch 'Right to Care Card' for resident LGBTQIA+ couples". Adobo Magazine. June 29, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Antonio, Josiah Eleazar (June 20, 2024). "800 queer couples in line, 423 healthcare providers: The birth and progress of Quezon City's 'Right To Care' card". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Right to Care Card". Quezon City Government. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  9. 1 2 magazine, adobo (June 13, 2025). "San Juan City Council passes Right to Care Ordinance, champions inclusive healthcare for LGBTQIA+ couples". adobo Magazine Online. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Yap, Jaia (May 12, 2026). "Cavite passes first province-wide 'Right to Care' ordinance". GMA News. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  11. ↑ Subingsubing, Krixia (January 18, 2026). "Bill seeks to replicate QC's 'Right to Care' system PH-wide". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  12. ↑ Nazario, Dhel (March 21, 2026). "Hontiveros pushes for Healthcare Proxy Act to protect patients' decision-making rights". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  13. ↑ "SP-3221-S-2023" (PDF). Quezon City Government. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  14. ↑ Lena, Perla (March 26, 2026). "Iloilo City enacts landmark 'right to care card' ordinance". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  15. ↑ Dela Cruz, Mikee (April 28, 2026). "Iloilo passes 'right to care' ordinance, allows LGBTQIA+ people to make medical decisions for their partners". Outrage Mag. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Cebu launches Right to Care Program through new executive order". Cebu Daily News. June 2, 2026. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
  17. ↑ YAP, JAIA (July 11, 2026). "Laguna, Ilocos Sur pass 'Right to Care' ordinances; Cebu implements through EO". GMA News Online. Retrieved July 12, 2026.
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