ILOILO CITY – The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Iloilo City has passed a landmark measure aimed at expanding inclusive healthcare services for residents.
During its regular session on Wednesday, the council approved the Health Care Proxy Card or “Right to Care” Ordinance, authored by Councilor Jose Maria dela Llana. The measure recognizes designated healthcare proxies in all medical facilities across Iloilo City.
Dela Llana said the ordinance is intended for adult residents aged 21 and above who live independently, including individuals working alone without immediate family members, as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ community and those in same-sex partnerships. The measure allows them to designate a partner, companion, caregiver, or trusted individual as a healthcare proxy in case they become incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions.
Qualified residents will be issued a “right to care card,” which will serve as official proof of a duly appointed healthcare proxy.
Following the ordinance’s passage, a technical working group led by the Gender and Development Office will draft the implementing rules and regulations.
Gab Umadhay, concurrent head of the city’s LGBTQ Affairs Office and part of the technical team, said the measure took three years to develop due to extensive consultations with hospitals and healthcare providers.
“It’s already a practice of medical health care professionals. However, there is no law that will fast-track the process. That gap is what the health care card addresses,” Umadhay said.
He added that full implementation is targeted next year, pending procurement of card equipment and the rollout of information campaigns among healthcare providers in the city.
“This is one of the biggest healthcare actions towards inclusive growth in Iloilo City. This is not just a win for the LGBTQ+ community, but for every Ilonggo,” he said.
Under the ordinance, healthcare providers or their representatives who fail to recognize a valid proxy card—after all remedies have been exhausted—may face a fine of PHP5,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, at the court’s discretion.|
