The Northern Samar provincial board passed a Right to Care ordinance to allow adults to legally designate any person who is not related to them by blood or their legal spouse to make medical decisions on their behalf.
With the passage of this ordinance, Northern Samar is now the first province in Eastern Visayas to enact such a legislation.
For the provincial government, the ordinance is a “significant step toward a more inclusive, compassionate, and people-centered healthcare system” that protects residents’ right to have their healthcare preferences heard, represented and respected.
The ordinance benefits those whose loved ones work or live away from home, as well as solo parents, persons with disabilities, live-in partners, LGBTQIA+ individuals, senior citizens and other nontraditional families and vulnerable sectors.
For board member Emil Ongchuan II, who pushed for the ordinance, this measure allows individuals to designate a trusted person provides families and healthcare providers with clearer guidance on their healthcare preferences during critical situations, particularly medical emergencies when a patient can no longer communicate or make decisions.
There are already Right to Care ordinances in at least nine LGUs, including the cities of Quezon, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Dasmariñas, Iloilo, Biñan, Carmona, and Laoag; and four provinces including Cavite, Cebu, Laguna, and Ilocos Sur.
