After 25 Years of Waiting: Could the Right to Care Act Break the SOGIE Bill Deadlock?

For twenty-five years, the Filipino LGBT+ community has watched the SOGIE Equality Bill stall in Congress, blocked by fierce opposition and endless debates. But just when hope seemed to dim, a new bill has entered the arena, one that zeroes in on a core, human right: the power to care.

The Right to Care Act: What Is It?

Filed by Representative Percival Cendana in late 2024, the proposed Right to Care Act aims to give queer couples a basic dignity often denied in hospitals: the right to make medical decisions for their partners through a special power of attorney. Under this law, patients can formally designate their partners to receive information and make critical health choices on their behalf. A “right to care” card, requiring all health facilities nationwide to honor it, forms the core of this groundbreaking proposal. Hospitals refusing would face penalties, making the policy more than mere lip service.

Why Does This Matter?

In a society where marriage equality remains a distant dream and even basic anti-discrimination measures have failed to pass, LGBT+ Filipinos are often kept at arm’s length during the moments that matter most, emergencies, illness, and end-of-life situations. Currently, queer partners are excluded from decision-making roles, effectively rendering long-term relationships invisible in the eyes of the law.

For Quezon City, which trialed the right-to-care card with nearly 500 queer couples participating since 2023, the impact has been immediate and deeply felt. This pilot proved that recognizing LGBT+ partnerships in health care isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.

Breaking the SOGIE Deadlock?

The SOGIE Equality Bill’s promise, protection from discrimination and equal access to services for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has been stuck for decades, largely due to opposition from religious groups and conservative lawmakers. The Right to Care Act, while not as far-reaching, offers a concrete step that focuses on empathy and humanity, a strategic entry point that could win over legislators and the public alike.

As Cendana puts it, “I hope that, unlike the SOGIE Equality Bill, something as basic as right to care will not be met with too much opposition, because it is inhumane to deprive couples of the right to take care of each other.” The bill may not legalize same-sex marriage, but it does something just as vital: it validates LGBT+ relationships and carves out legal recognition in hospitals, where loving someone shouldn’t mean standing helplessly by the door.

Doc’s Orders: What’s Next?

Let’s face it: passing the Right to Care Act won’t end the fight for genuine equality, but it cracks open the door. It’s a win for dignity, compassion, and recognition for Filipino queer couples. And maybe, just maybe, it’s the beginning of the end for the SOGIE deadlock.

Have you or your partner faced barriers in health care? Share your story and join the movement, because self-care isn’t selfish; it’s your right.