Applying for the Quezon City Government’s pioneering Right to Care (RTC) Card is now faster and more convenient, with the program officially integrated into QC eServices, the city’s unified digital platform for government services.
Through the online portal, eligible applicants can now submit documentary requirements and schedule their mandatory orientation from the comfort of their homes—eliminating the need for initial in-person processing and making the application process more accessible for queer couples.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said the move reflects Quezon City’s commitment to using technology to make public services more inclusive and responsive to the needs of every QCitizen.
“Digital transformation should make the government more accessible to everyone,” Belmonte said.
“By bringing the Right to Care program online, we are making it easier for LGBTQIA+ couples to access a service that recognizes their dignity, protects their welfare, and affirms that everyone deserves equal care and respect.”
“By bringing the Right to Care program online, we are making it easier for LGBTQIA+ couples to access a service that recognizes their dignity, protects their welfare, and affirms that everyone deserves equal care and respect,” the lady mayor added.
To apply online, queer couples must either both be Quezon City residents or have at least one partner residing in the city. Applicants must also have a valid QCitizen ID and an account on the QC eServices portal.
Launched in 2023, the Right to Care Card is the first local government initiative in the Philippines that formally recognizes LGBTQIA+ partners as healthcare proxies, allowing them to make medical decisions for one another in healthcare facilities within Quezon City.
The program has since become a model for inclusive governance, inspiring other local government units to adopt similar healthcare proxy policies. Bills seeking to institutionalize the initiative nationwide have also been filed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Belmonte encouraged members of the LGBTQIA+ community to take advantage of the city’s gender-inclusive programs and services.
“We will continue creating policies and improving services that ensure no one is left behind.”
“Quezon City has always believed that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and protected. We will continue creating policies and improving services that ensure no one is left behind,” she stressed.
The addition of the Right to Care Card further expands QC eServices, which now offers 245 online services across 43 service modules, bringing more government transactions within easy reach of residents.
For more information on the Right to Care Card and other gender-inclusive initiatives, residents may visit the official social media pages of the Quezon City Gender and Development Council Office or call 8988-4242 local 8739 or Helpline 122.
