Senator Cayetano backs bill letting Filipinos choose own medical decision-makers

MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has thrown his support behind a proposed law that would allow Filipinos to formally designate a trusted person — regardless of legal family ties — to make medical decisions on their behalf when they can no longer do so themselves.

Cayetano signed the committee report on Senate Bill 1985, known as the Healthcare Proxy Act, saying the measure addresses a longstanding gap in how the country’s health system treats patients during critical moments.

“I haven’t seen a real shift in how we look at our health system, and part of improving it is making sure patients are heard even when they can no longer speak for themselves,” Cayetano said.

Co-sponsored by Senators Risa Hontiveros and Loren Legarda, the bill would allow individuals to formally appoint a healthcare agent — including a partner, close friend, or companion not recognized as next of kin under existing law — to ensure their medical wishes are respected during incapacitation.

Hospitals and healthcare providers would be required to recognize these designated agents under the measure, which aims to strengthen advance care planning and supported decision-making within the health system.

The proposal stops short of redefining legal relationships or family structures. Instead, it focuses on patient dignity, informed consent, and the practical realities many Filipinos face when navigating serious illness and hospitalization — particularly those whose primary caregivers fall outside traditional legal definitions of family.

Cayetano said real-life situations often outpace what the law formally recognizes, especially in relationships defined by trust, shared care, and mutual responsibility rather than blood or legal documentation.

The bill’s passage through committee brings it closer to plenary deliberations in the Senate.

The measure is part of broader legislative efforts to modernize patient rights in the Philippines, where healthcare decisions for incapacitated individuals have historically defaulted to next-of-kin hierarchies that do not always reflect a patient’s actual support system or personal wishes.