Quezon City’s Right-to-Care Card: A Model for National LGBTQ+ Health Rights
In the absence of national marriage equality legislation, Quezon City has pioneered a groundbreaking solution that addresses a critical gap in healthcare rights for LGBTQ+ couples. The Right to Care Card program, which empowers queer couples to make medical decisions for their partners, has seen remarkable success with 468 couples applying since its launch in 2023.
As the first initiative of its kind in the Philippines, Quezon City’s program operates through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) that grants cardholders the authority to agree, refuse, or withdraw consent for various types of medical care for their partners, including treatments, procedures, tests, and prescriptions. This revolutionary program has initially been implemented in city government hospitals, including Quezon City General Hospital, Novaliches District Hospital, and Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital.
Understanding Your Rights Under the Program
The Right to Care Card provides several critical protections that were previously unavailable to LGBTQ+ couples. Through the SPA mechanism, cardholders can:
• Choose doctors or healthcare providers for their partners
• Make decisions about admission to or discharge from medical facilities
• Access, process, and disclose their partner’s personal and medical information
• Authorize or deny medical treatments related to their partner’s condition
The card includes a QR code that directs healthcare providers to a notarized digital version of the SPA, ensuring immediate verification of the cardholder’s authority in emergency situations. This innovative approach addresses the reality that without legal recognition of their relationships, LGBTQ+ partners are often denied basic caregiving rights that heterosexual married couples take for granted.
How to Apply
Quezon City has made the application process accessible to residents and non-residents alike. The program is available to queer couples where at least one partner resides in Quezon City. Applicants have three registration options: visiting the Gender and Development Council Office in person, completing an online registration, or scanning a QR code provided by the office.
After registration, couples must attend an orientation session where they’ll learn about their rights and the card’s privileges. Following the orientation, both partners sign the SPA in the presence of legal counsel, and the card is issued shortly thereafter. The most recent update to the application process was published on June 5, 2025.
A Path Toward National Recognition
While Quezon City leads the way, there’s growing momentum for national legislation that would extend similar protections to LGBTQ+ couples across the Philippines. The proposed Right to Care Act, filed by Party-list representative Percival Cendaña, aims to protect LGBTQ+ couples from discrimination in healthcare settings nationwide.
The Commission on Human Rights has lauded Quezon City’s initiative, noting that it embodies equal protection principles affirmed in the 1987 Constitution. The CHR expressed hope that this program will inspire other cities to pursue similar policies to protect and empower the LGBTQ+ community.
As we await broader legislative progress, Quezon City’s Right to Care Card offers a vital model for how local governments can take concrete steps toward equality, even in the absence of national recognition of same-sex relationships.
Know Your Rights
For LGBTQ+ couples in Quezon City, accessing this program represents a significant step toward healthcare equality. The program’s success, with nearly 500 couples participating in just over two years, demonstrates the urgent need for these protections and offers a practical template that could be replicated across the Philippines.
For more information about the Right to Care Card program, interested couples can contact the QC GAD Council directly or visit the official program page.
