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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider 'Right to Care' card approved in San Juan for LGBTQ+ partners

'Right to Care' card approved in San Juan for LGBTQ+ partners

Published Jun 14, 2025 12:40 pm

At A Glance

  • The Right to Care Card allows cardholders to make medical decisions for their partners, such as agreeing to, refusing, or stopping treatments, tests, procedures, and prescriptions, through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA).
In celebration of Pride Month, San Juan City has passed the Right to Care Card ordinance, granting queer couples the right to make medical decisions on behalf of their partners if needed.
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community march through the streets of Quezon City on June 24, 2023, in celebration of Pride Month. (Photos by Noel B. Pabalate)
Ordinance No. 16, titled Recognition of Health Proxies Ordinance of the City of San Juan, was passed on Tuesday, June 10.
It aims to ensure equality and equity among all genders in the city.
“In recognition of the efforts to ensure equalities and equity among all gender, the City Government of San Juan hereby declares that all Health-Care Providers within the territorial jurisdiction of locality shall recognize and respect the use of the Health Care Proxy issued by the Gender & Development Office of the City of San Juan granting LGBTQIA+ couples and other eligible individuals the right to make medical decisions for their partners if needed,” the ordinance stated.
San Juan City is the second local government unit to recognize and institutionalize the Right to Care Card, following Quezon City, which launched the initiative in 2023.
The Right to Care Card allows cardholders to make medical decisions for their partners, such as agreeing to, refusing, or stopping treatments, tests, procedures, and prescriptions, through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA).
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte thanked San Juan City and congratulated the Right to Care Card team for the milestone, saying the ordinance marks another step toward their dream of expanding the program to more cities.
Belmonte expressed hope that more cities would take part in the ongoing fight for equality and a nation free from discrimination.
“Happy Pride, mga nakshies! Yakap ng mahigpit (Tight hugs to all of you),” she said.
Meanwhile, Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, who served as a resource person during the public hearing on the local ordinance on Feb. 28, lauded the enactment.
“Deserve ng bawat partner, anumang SOGIE, na kilalaning ‘mahal sa buhay’ sa mata ng batas (Every partner, regardless of SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression), deserves to be recognized as a ‘loved one’ in the eyes of the law),” he said.
“Sa ilalim ng Right to Care Card Ordinance, binibigyang karapatan ang mga partner na magdesisyon para sa kalusugan ng taong mahal nila (Under the Right to Care Card Ordinance, partners are given the right to make health-related decisions for the person they love),” he added.

Related Tags

metro news Pride month LGBTQIA+ San juan city
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