The Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday welcomed Quezon City government’s initiative to launch the Right-to-Care card to make healthcare more accessible and inclusive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI).
“We laud their initiative to embody the values promoted by the equal protection principles affirmed in the 1987 Constitution’s Bill of Rights and Yogyakarta Principles, among others,” it cited. The lack of legislation that recognizes the rights of members of the LGBTQI community inherently puts them at a disadvantage, especially in the aspect of healthcare, it lamented.
“Thi is primarily due to the fact that hospitals and other medical facilities only recognize and account for insights from legal spouses or next of kin, inevitably ruling out the presence of same-sex partners,” it noted.
“Thus, the efforts of Mayor Joy Belmonte, alongside MullenLowe TREYNA, through senior art director Adrian de Guzman, to combat the inaccessible nature of such proves that the launch of the Right to Care card is a monumental step in achieving genuine equality within Quezon City,” it said. The Right-to-Care card through a special power of attorney shall authorize queer couples to choose the kind of treatment, procedures, tests, and prescriptions that their partners shall receive.
They would also be allowed to provide care during hospitalization and receive important information throughout the duration of admission.
The program shall initially be implemented at government hospitals within Quezon City, but would soon see its expansion to public or private Quezon City-based hospitals upon conducting important orientations and sealing partnerships between public and private Quezon City-based hospitals. The Right-to-Care card provides concrete legal protection and recognition in the healthcare setting, respecting the couple’s authority and involvement in their partner’s care thus preventing exclusion, discrimination, and denial of information or participation.
It is also expected that to alleviate the stress and anxiety during difficult hospitalization periods by allowing the LGBTQI members to actively contribute and participate in the care and well-being of their partner. “The Commission continues to emphasize the need for legislation that protects and ensures the rights of individuals belonging to the LGBTQI community. In order to attain genuine equality in society, accessibility to services—such as, but not limited to healthcare — must be guaranteed regardless of gender and sexual orientation,” CHR saidCHR hopes that the Quezon City government’s actions will serve as an inspiration to other cities to pursue projects and policies that will protect and empower the LGBTQI community. Through proactive efforts both at the local and national levels, we can truly build a society that embodies genuine equality and empowerment for all,” CHR said.