Equal healthcare for all Biñanenses, no matter their gender orientation.
As the Philippines' LGBTQIA+ Community unfurled their colors in celebration of "Pride Month" this June, the city government of Biñan, Laguna has given them a very important gift: the right to make informed medical decisions for themselves and their partners.
Right to Care
Recently, the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Biñan passed Ordinance No. 22-2026, instituting the "Access to Care and Assistance Privilege (ACAP)" program in the city.
The ordinance, authored by Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panglungsod Presiding Officer Jonalina "Dada" Reyes, institutes the so-called "Right to Care," or the right of members of the LGBTQIA+ community to make medical decisions for their partners.
Under the ordinance, the City Gender and Development (GAD) office will provide LGBTQIA+ residents of Biñan City with an ACAP Card that will entitle their partners, designated as "Health Care Agents," to make healthcare decisions on behalf of themselves.
According to the ordinance's premise, the ACAP program aims to provide the LGBTQIA+ community with "the ability to designate a health care proxy…that ensures individuals can make their health care decisions known and have them respected, particularly in situations where they are unable to communicate their wishes due to illness or incapacitation."
Under current laws, designated health care proxies who are legally entitled to make decisions in case of serious health issues are limited to immediate family members and legal spouses.
"The Access to Care and Assistance Privilege (ACAP) Card, through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA), shall authorize queer couples to choose the kind of treatment, procedures, tests, and prescriptions that their partners shall receive. They will also be allowed to provide care during hospitalization and receive important information throughout the duration of admission," the ordinance stated.
Pioneer
Biñan City is the first local government in Laguna province to enshrine “Right to Care” for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, a policy that has gained traction in the Philippines since the Quezon City local government first institutionalized the program in 2023.
Quezon City’s “Right to Care” Card operates through a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) and recognizes the decision of the cardholders to agree, refuse, or withdraw consent for any type of medical care for their partners, including treatment, procedures, tests, and prescriptions.
"This ordinance aligns with the City of Binan's ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive community where all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are granted equal rights and protections under the law, particularly in critical areas such as health care access and decision-making," Reyes stressed in the ordinance.
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