By: Christian Lagrimas
Patients crowd the entrance of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila on Thursday (Aug. 7, 2025). With its emergency room capacity exceeding 400 percent, the PGH has temporarily stopped accepting patients, requesting those who do not require critical care to seek treatment in other hospitals or outpatient clinics. Photo courtesy of Yancy Lim | Philippine News Agency
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima filed House Bill 7068, known as the “Right to Care Act,” in the House of Representatives, seeking to allow patients nationwide to designate trusted individuals to make medical decisions on their behalf in case of incapacity, on Friday, Jan. 23.
Under the proposed measure, patients may appoint a health care proxy who will be recognized as their legally authorized representative when they are unable to communicate or decide for themselves.
“In this measure, we give patients the right to choose their loved ones as their health-care agents. As loved ones, they are not only the people who know our thoughts and wishes, not only those who feel our love; they are the source of our strength and resilience, and they are also the ones to whom we entrust our lives and health,” De Lima said.
The bill aims to address gaps in current policies that do not always recognize partners or loved ones in non-traditional relationships, particularly during medical emergencies.
Similar bill have already been implemented at the local level. In 2023, the Quezon City government passed an ordinance allowing residents, including queer couples, to designate a person of their choice for medical decisions.
The bill also mandates that information about a patient’s health care proxy be reflected on their PhilHealth identification card and recorded in a Right to Care Registry under the Department of Health.
“The current state of Philippine law effectively alienates many adult Filipinos, such as solo parents, people in non-marital relationships, people from non-traditional households, and people in same-sex relationships, who often face discrimination and unfair treatment in health care settings and are denied access to information and decision-making processes involving the health care of their loved ones, despite shared lives and mutual caregiving responsibilities,” read the bill's exploratory note.
According to De Lima, existing regulations often favor immediate family members, which may exclude partners or close companions who are not legally recognized.
She said the proposed law aims to make the health care system more inclusive and prevent discrimination in accessing medical services.
If passed, the measure is expected to strengthen patients’ rights and ensure that medical decisions reflect their personal preferences and relationships, particularly during critical situations.