Who are Philippine Citizens

Philippine Bill of 1902

July 1, 1902
Section 4. That all
inhabitants of the
Philippine Islands
continuing to reside
therein who were
Spanish subjects on the
eleventh day of April,
eighteen hundred and
ninety-nine, and then
resided in the
Philippine Islands, and
their children born
subsequent thereto,
shall be deemed and
held to be citizens of
the Philippine Islands
and as such entitled to
the protection of the
United States, except
such as shall have
elected to preserve
their allegiance to the
Crown of Spain in
accordance with the
provisions of the
treaty of peace between
the United States and
Spain signed at Paris
December tenth,
eighteen hundred and
ninety-eight.

1935 Constitution
May 14, 1935

1935
Constitution

ratified
on
May
14,
1935 brought to an end
to any such link with
common
law,
by
adopting, once and for
all, jus
sanguinis or
blood relationship as
being
the basis
of
Filipino citizenship Section 1, Article III,
1935 Constitution. The
following are citizens
of the Philippines (1) Those who are
citizens of the
Philippine Islands at
the time of the
adoption of this
Constitution
(2) Those born in the
Philippines Islands of
foreign parents who,
before the adoption of
this Constitution, had
been elected to public
office in the

1973 Constitution
NOON OF JANUARY 17,
1973
Section 1, Article III,
1973 Constitution - The
following are citizens
of the Philippines:
(1) Those who are
citizens of the
Philippines at the time
of the adoption of this
Constitution.
(2) Those whose
fathers or mothers are
citizens of the
Philippines.
(3) Those who elect
Philippine citizenship
pursuant to the
provisions of the
Constitution of
nineteen hundred and
thirty-five.
(4) Those who are
naturalized in
accordance with law.

SEC.

2.

female

1987 Constitution
February 2, 1987
ARTICLE IV
CITIZENSHIP
ARTICLE IV
Section
1.
The
following are citizens
of the Philippines:
[1]
Those
who
are
citizens
of
the
Philippines at the time
of the adoption of this
Constitution;
[2] Those whose fathers
or mothers are citizens
of the Philippines;
[3] Those born before
January 17, 1973, of
Filipino mothers, who
elect
Philippine
citizenship
upon
reaching
the
age
of
majority; and
[4]
Those
who
are
naturalized
in
accordance with law.

Amended with the Act of

Congress on 1912
That all inhabitants of
the Philippine Islands
who
were
Spanish
subjects on the 11th day
of
April,
1889,
and
then resided in said
Islands,
and
their
children
born
subsequently
thereto,
shall
be
deemed
and
held to be citizens of
the Philippine Islands,
except such as shall
have
elected
to
preserve
their
allegiance to the Crown
of Spain in accordance
with the provisions of
the
treaty
of
peace
between
the
United
States
and
Spain,
signed
at
Paris
December
tenth,
eighteen
hundred
and
ninety-eight and except
such
others
as
have
since become citizens
of some other country;
Provided,
That
the
Philippine Legislature,
herein provided for, is
hereby
authorized to
provide
for
the
acquisition
of
Philippine
citizenship
by those natives of the

Philippine Islands.
(3) Those whose fathers
are citizens of the
Philippines.
(4) Those whose mothers
are citizens of the
Philippines and upon
reaching the age of
majority, elect
Philippine citizenship.
(5) Those who are
naturalized in
accordance with law.
SEC. 2. Philippine
citizenship may be lost
or re-acquired in the
manner provided by law.

citizen
of
the
Philippines who marries
an alien shall retain
her
Philippine
citizenship, unless by
her act or omission she
is deemed, under the
law, to have renounced
her citizenship.
SEC.
3.
Philippine
citizenship may be lost
or reacquired in the
manner provided by law.

Section 2. Natural-born
citizens are those who
are
citizens
of
the
Philippines from birth
without
having
to
perform
any
act
to
acquire
or
perfect
their
Philippine
citizenship. Those who
elect
Philippine
citizenship
in
accordance
with
paragraph (3), Section
1
hereof
shall
be
deemed
natural-born
citizens.

SEC. 4. A natural-born
citizen is one who is a
citizen
of
the
Philippines from birth
without
having
to
perform
any
act
to Section 3. Philippine
acquire or perfect his citizenship may be lost
Philippine citizenship. or reacquired in the
manner provided by law.

Section 4. Citizens of
the
Philippines
who
marry
aliens
shall
retain
their
citizenship, unless by
their act or omission,
they are deemed, under
the
law,
to
have
renounced it.
Section
5.
Dual
allegiance of citizens
is
inimical
to
the
national interest and

Philippine Islands who

do not come within the
foregoing
provisions,
the
natives
of
the
insular possessions of
the United States, and
such
other
persons
residing
in
the
Philippine Islands who
are
citizens
of
the
United States, or who
could become citizens
of the United States
under the laws of the
United
States,
if
residing therein."

Under the Jones Law,

a
native-born
inhabitant
of
the
Philippines was deemed
to be a citizen of the
Philippines as of 11
April 1899 if he was 1)
a subject of Spain on
11
April
1899,
2)
residing
in
the
Philippines
on
said
date,
and,
3)
since
that
date,
not
a
citizen of some other
country.

shall be dealt with by

law.

NOTES :
The Treaty of Paris was entered into on 10 December 1898
between Spain and the United States.
[21]
Under Article IX of the treaty, the civil rights and political status of the native inhabitants
of the territories ceded to the United States would be determined by its Congress "Spanish subjects, natives of the Peninsula, residing in the territory over which Spain by the
present treaty relinquishes or cedes her sovereignty may remain in such territory or may remove
therefrom, retaining in either event all their rights of property, including the right to sell or
dispose of such property or of its proceeds; and they shall also have the right to carry on their
industry, commerce, and professions, being subject in respect thereof to such laws as are applicable
to foreigners. In case they remain in the territory they may preserve their allegiance to the Crown
of Spain by making, before a court of record, within a year from the date of the exchange of
ratifications of this treaty, a declaration of their decision to preserve such allegiance; in
default of which declaration they shall be held to have renounced it and to have adopted the
nationality of the territory in which they reside.
Subsection (4), Article III, of the 1935 Constitution, taken together with existing civil law
provisions at the time, which provided that women would automatically lose their Filipino
citizenship and acquire that of their foreign husbands, resulted in discriminatory situations that
effectively incapacitated the women from transmitting their Filipino citizenship to their legitimate
children and required illegitimate children of Filipino mothers to still elect Filipino citizenship
upon reaching the age of majority. Seeking to correct this anomaly, as well as fully cognizant of
the newly found status of Filipino women as equals to men, the framers of the 1973 Constitution
crafted the provisions of the new Constitution on citizenship to reflect such concerns.
ELECTION OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP (As requirement under the 1935 Constitution)
CA no. 625

- June 7, 1941

Section 1. The option to elect Philippine citizenship in accordance with subsection (4), section 1,
Article IV, of the Constitution1 shall be expressed in:
1. a statement to be signed and sworn to by the party concerned before any officer authorized to
administer oaths, and
2. shall be filed with the nearest civil registry;
3. oath of allegiance to the Constitution and the Government of the Philippines.
Section 2. If the party concerned is absent from the Philippines:

1. he may make the statement herein authorized before any officer of the Government of the United
States2 authorized to administer oaths, and
2. he shall forward such statement together with his
3. oath of allegiance, to the Civil
Registry of Manila.
the statutory formalities of electing Philippine citizenship are: (CA NO 625

June 17, 1941)

(1) a statement of election under oath; any officer authorized to administer oath
(2) an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and Government of the Philippines; and
(3) registration of the statement of election and of the oath with the nearest civil registry.
***Furthermore, no election of Philippine citizenship shall be accepted for registration under C.A.
No. 625 unless the party exercising the right of election has complied with the requirements of
the Alien Registration Act of 1950. In other words, he should first be required to register as an
alien.[24]
*** Reasonable time to elect Philippine Citizenship
***It is true that this clause has been construed to mean a reasonable time after reaching the age
of majority, and that the Secretary of Justice has ruled that three (3) years is the reasonable time
to elect Philippine citizenship under the constitutional provision adverted to above, which period
may be extended under certain circumstances, as when the person concerned has always considered
himself a Filipino. (cuenco vs sec of justice)

NATURALIZED CITIZENS
CA NO. 473
JUNE 17, 1939
JUDICIAL NATURALIZATION

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF

PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION, AND TO
REPEAL ACTS NUMBERED TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED AND
TWENTY-SEVEN (2927) AND THIRTY-FOUR HUNDRED AND
FORTY-EIGHT (3448)
Sec. 2. Qualifications. - Subject to Section
four of this Act, any person having the following
qualifications may become a citizen of the
Philippines by naturalization:
1. He must be not less than twenty-one years of
age on the day of the hearing of the
petition;
2. He must have resided in the Philippines for
a continuous period of not less than ten
years;
3. He must be of good moral character and
believes in the principles underlying the
Philippine Constitution, and must have
conducted himself in a proper and
irreproachable manner during the entire
period of his residence in the Philippines
in his relation with the constituted

RA NO 9139
JUNE 8, 2001
15 days following publication
ADMINISTRATIVE NATURALIZATION
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9139
June 08, 2001
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF
PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP FOR CERTAIN ALIENS BY
ADMINISTRATIVE NATURALIZATION AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Section 3. Qualifications. - Subject to the
provisions of the succeeding section, any person
desiring to avail of the benefits of this Act
must meet the following qualifications:
(a) The applicant must be born in the Philippines
and residing therein since birth;
(b) The applicant must not be less than eighteen
(18) years of age, at the time of filing of
his/her petition;
(c) The applicant must be of good moral character
and believes in the underlying principles of the
Constitution, and must have conducted
himself/herself in a proper and irreproachable
manner during his/her entire period of residence
in the Philippines in his relation with the duly
constituted government as well as with the
community in which he/she is living;
(d) The applicant must have received his/her

government as well as with the community in

which he is living.
4. He must own real estate in the Philippines
worth not less than five thousand pesos,
Philippine currency, or must have some known
lucrative trade, profession, or lawful
occupation;
5. He must be able to speak and write English
or Spanish and any one of the principal
Philippine languages;
6. He must have enrolled his minor children of
school age, in any of the public schools or
private schools recognized by the Office of
Private Education of the Philippines, where
the Philippine history, government and
civics are taught or prescribed as part of
the school curriculum, during the entire
period of the residence in the Philippines
required of him prior to the hearing of his
petition for naturalization as Philippine
citizen.
Sec. 3. Special qualifications. The ten years of
continuous residence required under the second
condition of the last preceding Sec. shall be
understood as reduced to five years for any
petitioner having any of the following
qualifications:
1. Having honorably held office under the
Government of the Philippines or under that of

primary and secondary education in any public

school or private educational institution dully
recognized by the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports, where Philippine history,
government and civics are taught and prescribed
as part of the school curriculum and where
enrollment is not limited to any race or
nationality: Provided, That should he/she have
minor children of school age, he/she must have
enrolled them in similar schools;
(e) The applicant must have a known trade,
business, profession or lawful occupation, from
which he/she derives income sufficient for
his/her support and if he/she is married and/or
has dependents, also that of his/her
family:Provided, however, That this shall not
apply to applicants who are college degree
holders but are unable to practice their
profession because they are disqualified to do so
by reason of their citizenship;
(f) The applicant must be able to read, write and
speak Filipino or any of the dialects of the
Philippines; and
(g) The applicant must have mingled with the
Filipinos and evinced a sincere desire to learn
and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of
the Filipino people.
Section 4. Disqualifications, - The following are
not qualified to be naturalized as Filipino
citizens under this Act:
(a) Those opposed to organized government or
affiliated with any association of group of
persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing

any of the provinces, cities, municipalities, or

political subdivisions thereof;

all organized governments;

2. Having established a new industry or

introduced a useful invention in the Philippines;

(b) Those defending or teaching the necessity of

or propriety of violence, personal assault or
assassination for the success or predominance of
their ideas;

3.

Being married to a Filipino woman;

4. Having been engaged as a teacher in the

Philippines in a public or recognized private
school not established for the exclusive
instruction of children of persons of a
particular nationality or race, in any of the
branches of education or industry for a period of
not less than two years;
4. Having been born in the Philippines.
Declaration of intention. - One year prior
to the filing of his petition for admission
to Philippine citizenship, the applicant for
Philippine citizenship shall file with the
Bureau of Justice, a declaration under oath
that it is bona fide his intention to become
a citizen of the Philippines
Persons exempt from requirement to make a
declaration of intention. - Persons born in
the Philippines and have received their
primary and secondary education in public

(c) Polygamists or believers in the practice of

polygamy;
(d) Those convicted of crimes involving moral
turpitude;
(e) Those suffering from mental alienation or
incurable contagious diseases;
(f) Those who, during the period of their
residence in the Philippines, have not mingled
socially with Filipinos, or who have not evinced
a sincere desire to learn and embrace the
customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipinos;
(g) Citizens or subjects with whom the
Philippines is at war, during the period of such
war; and
(h) Citizens or subjects of a foreign country
whose laws do not grant Filipinos the right to be
naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.
Section 5. Petition for Citizenship. - (1) Any
person desiring to acquire Philippine citizenship
under this Act shall file with the Special
Committee on Naturalization created under Section
6 hereof,
Special Committee on Naturalization. - There
shall be constituted a Special Committee on

schools or those recognized by the

Government and not limited to any race or
nationality, and those who have resided
continuously in the Philippines for a period
of thirty years or more before filing their
application
Petition for citizenship. - Any person
desiring to acquire Philippine citizenship
shall file with the competent court.

Competent court. - The Court of First Instance

of the province in which the petitioner has
resided at least one year immediately preceding
the filing of the petition shall have exclusive
original jurisdiction to hear the petition.
Effect of the naturalization on wife and
children. - Any woman who is now or may
hereafter be married to a citizen of the
Philippines, and who might herself be lawfully
naturalized shall be deemed a citizen of the
Philippines.
Minor children of persons naturalized under this
law who have been born in the Philippines shall
be considered citizens thereof.
A foreign-born minor child,

if dwelling in the

Naturalization herein referred to as the

"Committee", with the Solicitor General as
chairman, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, or
his representative, and the National Security
Adviser, as members, with the power to approve,
deny or reject applications for naturalization as
provided in this Act.
Status of Alien Wife and Minor Children. - After
the approval of the petition for administrative
naturalization in cancellation of applicant's
alien certificate of registration, applicant's
alien lawful wife and minor children may file a
petition for cancellation of their alien
certificates of registration with the Committee
subject to the payment of the filing fee.
Status of Alien Husband and Minor Children. - If
the applicant is a married woman, the approval of
her petition for administrative naturalization
will not benefit her alien husband but her minor
children may file a petition for cancellation of
their alien certificates of registration with the
BI subject to the requirements of existing laws.

Philippines at the time of the naturalization of

the parent, shall automatically become a
Philippine citizen, and a foreign-born minor
child, who is not in the Philippines at the time
the parent is naturalized, shall be deemed a
Philippine citizen only during his minority,
unless he begins to reside permanently in the
Philippines when still a minor, in which case, he
will continue to be a Philippine citizen even
after becoming of age.
Right of Widow and Children of Petitioners who
have Died. - In case a petitioner should die
before the final decision has been rendered, his
widow and minor children may continue the
proceedings. The decision rendered in the case
shall, so far as the widow and minor children are
concerned, produce the same legal effect as if it
had been rendered during the life of the petiti
on.
Renunciation of Title or Orders of Nobility. In case the alien applying to be admitted to
citizenship has borne any hereditary title, or
has been of any of the orders of nobility in the
Kingdom or state from which he came, he shall, in
addition to the above requisites, make an express
renunciation of his title or order of nobility in
the court to which his application is made, and
his renunciation shall be recorded in the court,
unless with the express consent of the National

Assembly.
oner.
Republic Act. 530 June 16, 1950
AN ACT MAKING ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR
NATURALIZATION
1. no petition
be heard by
months from
application

for Philippine citizenship shall

the courts until after six
the publication of the
required by law,

2. nor shall any decision granting the

application become executory until after two
years from its promulgation
3. and after the court, on proper hearing, with
the attendance of the Solicitor General or
his representative, is satisfied, and so
finds, that during the intervening time the
applicant has :(1) not left the Philippines,
(2) has dedicated himself continuously to a
lawful calling or profession, (3) has not
been convicted of any offense or violation
of Government promulgated rules, (4) or
committed any act prejudicial to the
interest of the nation or contrary to any
Government announced policies.

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 725 June 5, 1975

LOI No. 270 naturalization by presidential decree
April 11, 1975

PROVIDING FOR REPATRIATION OF FILIPINO WOMEN WHO

HAD LOST THEIR PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE
TO ALIENS AND OF NATURAL BORN FILIPINOS
Only the SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION
created by LOI no. 270 was retained after EDSA
Revolution

Solicitor General
Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs
Director General NISA

WHEREAS, there are many Filipino women who had

lost their Philippine Citizenship by marriage to
aliens;
WHEREAS, while the new constitution allows a
Filipino woman who marries an alien to retain her
Philippine citizenship unless by her act or
omission, she is deemed under the law to have
renounced her Philippine citizenship, such
provision of the new Constitution does not apply
to Filipino women who had married aliens before
said Constitution took effect;

In order that aliens permanently residing in this

country who, having developed and demonstrated
love for and loyalty to the Philippines and
affinity to the customs, traditions and ideals of
the Filipino people, as well as contributed to
the economic, social and cultural development of
our country, may be integrated into the national
fabric by the grant of Philippine citizenship,
WHEREAS, the existing law (C.A. Nos. 63, as
you are hereby directed as follows:
amended) allows the repatriation of Filipino
women who lost their citizenship by reason of
1. That you shall constitute yourself as a
their marriage to aliens only after the death of
Committee,
with
the
Solicitor
General
as
their husbands or the termination of their
Chairman, to receive, and consider and submit
marital status; and
recommendations
on,
applications
for
naturalization by decree from aliens with the
WHEREAS, there are natural born Filipinos who
following
qualifications
and
none
of
the
have lost their Philippine citizenship but now
following disqualifications:
desire to re-acquire Philippine citizenship;
Qualifications:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President

of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me
a. He must not be less than 21 years of age on
vested by the Constitution, do hereby decree and
the date of the filing of his petition;
order that: 1) Filipino women who lost their
Philippine citizenship by marriage to aliens; and

b. If born in a foreign country, he must have

been legally admitted into the Philippines either
as an immigrant or a non-immigrant;
c. He must have had a continuous residence in the
Philippines of ten years, which period shall be
reduced to five years for applicants with any of
the following special qualifications:

(2) natural born Filipinos who have lost their

Philippine citizenship may require Philippine
citizenship through repatriation by applying with
the Special Committee on Naturalization created
by Letter of Instruction No. 270, and, if their
applications are approved, taking the necessary
oath of allegiance to the Republic of the
Philippines, after which they shall be deemed to
have reacquired Philippine citizenship. The
Commission on Immigration and Deportation shall
thereupon cancel their certificate of alien
registration.

1) Having honorably held office under the

Government of the Philippines or under that of
any of the provinces, cities, municipalities or
The aforesaid Special Committee is hereby
political subdivision thereof;
authorized to promulgate rules and regulations
2)
Having
established
a
new
industry
or and prescribe the appropriate forms and the
introduced a useful invention in the Philippines; required fees for the effective implementation of
this Decree.
3) Being married to a Filipino;
This Decree shall take effect immediately.
4) Having been engaged as a teacher in the
Philippines in a public or recognized private Done in the City of Manila, this 5th day of June,
school
not
established
for
the
exclusive in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
instruction
of
children
of
persons
of
a seventy-five.
particular nationality or race, in any of the
branches of education or industry for a period of
not less than two years;
5) Having been born in the Philippines.
d. He must be of good moral character and
believes
in
the
principles
underlying
the
Philippine Constitution, and must have conducted
himself in a proper and irreproachable manner
during the entire period of his residence in the
Philippines in his relation with the constituted
government as well as with the community in which
he is living;

e. He must have a known trade, business,

profession, or lawful occupation, from which he
derives income sufficient for his support and, if
he is married or has dependents, also that of his
family;
f. He must be able to speak and write Filipino;
or English or Spanish, and any of the principal
Philippine languages;
g. He must have enrolled his minor children of
school age in any of the public or private
schools recognized by the Department of Education
and Culture, where Philippine history, government
and civics are taught or prescribed as part of
the school curriculum, during the period of
residence in the Philippines required of him
prior to the filing of his petition hereunder;
and
h. He must have, during the period of his
residence in the Philippines, mingled socially
with the Filipinos and evinced a sincere desire
to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and
ideals of the Filipino people.
Disqualifications:
a. He must not be opposed to organized government
or affiliated with any association or group of
persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing
all organized governments;
b. He must not defend or teach the necessity or
propriety of violence, personal assault, or
assassination for the success and predominance of
his ideas;

c. He must not be a polygamist or a believer in

the practice of polygamy;
d. He must not have been convicted of any crime
involving moral turpitude;
e. He is not suffering from mental alienation or
any incurable contagious disease.
Cases of aliens born of Filipino mothers: If,
however, the applicant was born of a Filipino
mother
before
the
effectivity
of
the
new
Constitution and has resided continuously in the
Philippines since birth, he shall be considered
qualified hereunder without need of any further
qualification, provided he does not suffer from
the disqualifications above enumerated.
2. That the application shall be in triplicate,
signed and verified by the petitioner himself and
accompanied by his photographs and certified true
or xerox copies of his certificate of arrival (if
any), his Alien Certificate of Registration and
his Immigrant Certificate of Residence, and
supported by the separate affidavits of two
credible
witnesses
stating
that
they
have
personally known the petitioner for the period of
time
required
under
par.
1
hereof,
that
petitioner is a person of good repute and morally
irreproachable, and that said petitioner has, in
their opinion, all the qualifications necessary
to become a citizen of the Philippines and is not
in any way disqualified under the provisions of
this Decree.
3. That the application shall be filed with the
Committee not later than
, 1975.

4. That on the basis of the data available to the

Committee, the Committee shall submit appropriate
recommendations to me not later than May 15, 1975
as to who, among the aforesaid applicants, are
eligible and qualified for naturalization by
decree: however, the names and data pertaining to
those
aliens
previously
screened
by
the
Department of National Defense and the NISA and
found appropriate for the naturalization by
decree shall be forwarded to me without need of
prior screening by the Committee; and
5. You are authorized to promulgate rules and
regulations and prescribe appropriate forms and
the
required
fees
for
the
effective
and
expeditious implementation of these instructions.

*** LOI No. 270 and CA No. 473 are laws governing the naturalization of qualified aliens residing in
the Philippines. While they provide for different procedures, CA No. 473 governs naturalization by
judicial decree while Absent any express repeal of Section 15 of CA No. 473 in LOI No. 270, the said
provision should be read into the latter law as an integral part thereof, not being inconsistent
with its purpose LOI No. 270 governs naturalization by presidential decree; both statutes have the
same purpose and objective.
Petitioners contention that the qualifications an applicant for naturalization should possess are
those provided for in R.A. No. 9139 and not those set forth in C.A. No. 473 is barren of merit. The
qualifications and disqualifications of an applicant for naturalization by judicial act are set
forth in Sections 246 and 447 of C.A. No. 473. On the other hand, Sections 348 and 449 of R.A. No. 9139
provide for the qualifications and disqualifications of an applicant for naturalization by
administrative act.

First. C.A. No. 473 and R.A. No. 9139 are separate and distinct laws the former covers all aliens
regardless of class while the latter covers native-born aliens who lived here in the Philippines all
their lives, who never saw any other country and all along thought that they were Filipinos; who
have demonstrated love and loyalty to the Philippines and affinity to the customs and traditions.52
To reiterate, the intention of the legislature in enacting R.A. No. 9139 was to make the process of
acquiring Philippine citizenship less tedious, less technical and more encouraging which is
administrative rather than judicial in nature. Thus, although the legislature believes that there is
a need to liberalize the naturalization law of the Philippines, there is nothing from which it can
be inferred that C.A. No. 473 was intended to be amended or repealed by R.A. No. 9139. What the
legislature had in mind was merely to prescribe another mode of acquiring Philippine citizenship
which may be availed of by native born aliens. The only implication is that, a native born alien has
the choice to apply for judicial or administrative naturalization, subject to the prescribed
qualifications and disqualifications.
Second. If the qualifications prescribed in R.A. No. 9139 would be made applicable even to judicial
naturalization, the coverage of the law would be broadened since it would then apply even to aliens
who are not native born. It must be stressed that R.A. No. 9139 applies only to aliens who were born
in the Philippines and have been residing here.
Third. Applying the provisions of R.A. No. 9139 to judicial naturalization is contrary to the
intention of the legislature to liberalize the naturalization procedure in the country. One of the
qualifications set forth in R.A. No. 9139 is that the applicant was born in the Philippines and
should have been residing herein since birth. Thus, one who was born here but left the country,
though resided for more than ten (10) years from the filing of the application is also disqualified.
On the other hand, if we maintain the distinct qualifications under each of the two laws, an alien
who is not qualified under R.A. No. 9139 may still be naturalized under C.A. No. 473.
the waiting period of (one year prior declaration of intention to acquire Philippine citizenship
under CA 473) will unmask the true intentions of those who seek Philippine citizenship for selfish
reasons alone, such as, but not limited to, those who are merely interested in protecting their
wealth, as distinguished from those who have truly come to love the Philippines and its culture and
who wish to become genuine partners in nation building.
three ways by which an alien may become a citizen by naturalization:
So v Republic
(a) administrative naturalization pursuant to R.A. No. 9139 (2001) LOI 270 (1975)

(b) judicial naturalization pursuant to C.A. No. 473, as amended; and

(c) legislative naturalization in the form of a law enacted by Congress bestowing Philippine
citizenship to an alien.
requirements for character witnesses: [Ong v Rep]

1. That they are citizens of the Philippines;

2. That they are credible persons;
3. That they personally know the petitioner;
4. That they personally know him to be a resident of the Philippines for the period of time
required by law;
5. That they personally know him to be a person of good repute;
6. That they personally know him to be morally irreproachable;
7. That he has, in their opinion, all the qualifications necessary to become a citizen of the
Philippines; and
8. That he is not in any way disqualified under the provisions of the Naturalization Law.
Philippine citizenship, it must be stressed, is not a commodity or were to be displayed when
required and suppressed when convenient.
LOSS AND RE-ACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP
Read / Print CA NO 63 OCTOBER 31 1936
CITIZENSHIP MAY BE LOST OR REACQUIRED

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH PHILIPPINE

Republic Act No. 9225

- approved August 29, 2003 -*** 15 days After Publication
AN ACT MAKING THE CITIZENSHIP OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP PERMANENT.
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE COMMONWEALTH ACT. NO. 63, AS AMENDED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

it is clear that the intent of the legislature in drafting Rep. Act No. 9225 is to do away with the
provision in Commonwealth Act No. 635 which takes away Philippine citizenship from natural-born
Filipinos who become naturalized citizens of other countries. What Rep. Act No. 9225 does is allow
dual citizenship to natural-born Filipino citizens who have lost Philippine citizenship by reason of
their naturalization as citizens of a foreign country. On its face, it does not recognize dual
allegiance. By swearing to the supreme authority of the Republic, the person implicitly renounces
his foreign citizenship. Plainly, from Section 3, Rep. Act No. 9225 stayed clear out of the problem
of dual allegiance and shifted the burden of confronting the issue of whether or not there is dual
allegiance to the concerned foreign country. What happens to the other citizenship was not made a
concern of Rep. Act No. 9225.

More importantly, the Courts 2000 ruling in Valles has been superseded by the enactment of R.A.
No. 9225[10] in 2003. R.A. No. 9225 expressly provides for the conditions before those who reacquired Filipino citizenship may run for a public office in the Philippines. Section 5 of the said
law states:
Section 5. Civil and Political Rights and Liabilities. Those who retain or re-acquire
Philippine citizenship under this Act shall enjoy full civil and political rights and be
subject to all attendant liabilities and responsibilities under existing laws of
the Philippines and the following conditions:
x x x x
(2) Those seeking elective public office in the Philippines shall meet the
qualification for holding such public office as required by the Constitution and existing
laws and, at the time of the filing of the certificate of candidacy, make a personal and
sworn renunciation of any and all foreign citizenship before any public officer authorized
to administer an oath.
For the renunciation to be valid, it must be contained in an affidavit duly executed
before an officer of law who is authorized to administer an oath. The affiant must state
in clear and unequivocal terms that he is renouncing all foreign citizenship for it to be
effective.

Thus, like any other natural-born Filipino, it is enough for a person with dual citizenship who
seeks public office to file his certificate of candidacy and swear to the oath of allegiance
contained therein.
Dual allegiance, on the other hand, is brought about by the individuals active participation in the
naturalization process.

R.A. No. 9225 was enacted to allow re-acquisition and retention of Philippine citizenship for: 1)
natural-born citizens who have lost their Philippine citizenship by reason of their naturalization
as citizens of a foreign country; and 2) natural-born citizens of the Philippines who, after the
effectivity of the law, become citizens of a foreign country.
Arnados category of dual citizenship is that by which foreign citizenship is acquired through
a positive act of applying for naturalization. This is distinct from those considered dual citizens
by virtue of birth, who are not required by law to take the oath of renunciation as the mere filing
of the certificate of candidacy already carries with it an implied renunciation of foreign
citizenship.39 Dual citizens by naturalization, on the other hand, are required to take not only the
Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines but also to personally renounce foreign
citizenship in order to qualify as a candidate for public office.
The use of foreign passport after renouncing ones foreign
citizenship is a positive and voluntary act of representation as to
ones nationality and citizenship; it does not divest Filipino
citizenship regained by repatriation but it recants the Oath of
Renunciation required to qualify one to run for an elective position.
LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP
Filipino may lose his/her citizenship by any of the modes :
C.A. No. 63
Aznar v Comelec
(1) by naturalization in a foreign country;
(2) by express renunciation of citizenship; and
(3) by subscribing to an oath of allegiance to support the Constitution or

laws of a foreign country.

For the renunciation to be valid: (as required in seeking public office)
Lopez v COMELEC
1) it must be contained in an affidavit duly executed before an officer of law who is authorized to
administer an oath.
2) The affiant must state in clear and unequivocal terms that he is renouncing all foreign
citizenship for it to be effective.
to run for public office, he must:
RA 9225
Japson v Comelec
(1) meet the qualifications for holding such public office as required by the Constitution and
existing laws; and
(2) make a personal and sworn renunciation of any and all foreign citizenships before any public
officer authorized to administer an oath.
following classes of citizens of the Philippines to possess dual citizenship:
Considering the citizenship clause (Art. IV) of our Constitution,
Cordora v COMELEC
(1) Those born of Filipino fathers and/or mothers in foreign countries which follow the principle
of jus soli;
(2) Those born in the Philippines of Filipino mothers and alien fathers if by the laws of their
fathers country such children are citizens of that country;
(3) Those who marry aliens if by the laws of the latters country the former are considered
citizens, unless by their act or omission they are deemed to have renounced Philippine citizenship.

R.A. No. 9225 was enacted to allow re-acquisition and retention of Philippine citizenship for:
De Guzman v COMELEC
1) natural-born citizens who have lost their Philippine citizenship by reason of their
naturalization as citizens of a foreign country; and
3) natural-born citizens of the Philippines who, after the effectivity of the law, become citizens
of a foreign country.
REPATRATION OR REACQUISTION
RA 8171 OCTOBER 3, 1995
30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION

COMMONWEALTH ACT No. 63

OCTOBER 21, 1936

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE REPATRIATION OF FILIPINO

WOMEN WHO HAVE LOST THEIR PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP
BY MARRIAGE TO ALIENS AND OF NATURAL-BORN
FILIPINOS.
Section 1. Filipino women who have lost their
Philippine citizenship by marriage to aliens and
natural-born Filipinos who have lost their
Philippine citizenship, including their minor
children, on account of political or economic
necessity, may reacquire Philippine citizenship
through repatriation in the manner provided in
Section 4 of Commonwealth Act No. 63, as amended:
Provided, That the applicant
is not a:

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH PHILIPPINE

CITIZENSHIP MAY BE LOST OR REACQUIRED
Section 1. How citizenship may be lost. A
Filipino citizen may lose his citizenship in any
of the following ways and/or events:
(1) By naturalization in a foreign country;
(2) By express renunciation of citizenship;
(3) By subscribing to an oath of allegiance
to support the constitution or laws of a
foreign country upon attaining twenty-one
years of age or more: Provided,
however, That a Filipino may not divest
himself of Philippine citizenship in any
manner while the Republic of the Philippines
is at war with any country;
(4) By rendering services to, or accepting

(1) Person opposed to organized government or

affiliated with any association or group of
persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing
organized government;
(2) Person defending or teaching the
necessity or propriety of violence, personal
assault, or associatEon for the predominance of
their ideas;
(3) Person convictad of crimes involving
moral turpitude; or
(4) Person suffering from mental alienation
or incurablecontagious diseases.

commission in, the armed forces of a foreign

country: Provided,That the rendering of
service to, or the acceptance of such
commission in, the armed forces of a foreign
country, and the taking of an oath of
allegiance incident thereto, with the
consent of the Republic of the Philippines,
shall not divest a Filipino of his
Philippine citizenship if either of the
following circumstances is present:

Sec. 2. Repatriation shall be effected by taking

the necessary oath of allegiance to the Republic
of the Philippines and registration in the proper
civil registry and in the Bureau or Immigration.
The Bureau of Immigration shall thereupon cancel
the pertinent alien
certificate of registration and issue the
certificate of identification as Filipino citizen
to the repatriated citizen.

(b) The said foreign country maintains

armed forces on Philippine territory
with the consent of the Republic of the
Philippines: Provided, That the
Filipino citizen concerned, at the time
of rendering said service, or
acceptance of said commission, and
taking the oath of allegiance incident
thereto, states that he does so only in
connection with his service to said
foreign country: And provided,
finally, That any Filipino citizen who
is rendering service to, or is
commissioned in, the armed forces of a
foreign country under any of the
circumstances mentioned in paragraph
(a) or (b), shall not be permitted to
participate nor vote in any election of
the Republic of the Philippines during
the period of his service to, or
commission in, the armed forces of said
foreign country. Upon his discharge

Sec. 3. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and

regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with
this Act are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.
Sec. 4. This Act shall take effect thirty (30)
days after its publication in a newspaper of
general circulation.

(a) The Republic of the Philippines has

a defensive and/or offensive pact of
alliance with the said foreign country;
or

Signed: October 23, 1995

from the service of the said foreign

country, he shall be automatically
entitled to the full enjoyment of his
civil and political rights as a
Filipino citizen;
(5) By cancellation of the of the
certificates of naturalization;
(6) By having been declared by competent
authority, a deserter of the
Philippine armed forces in time of war,
unless subsequently, a plenary pardon or
amnesty has been granted; and
(7) In the case of a woman, upon her
marriage to a foreigner if, by virtue of the
laws in force in her husband's country, she
acquires his nationality.1
The provisions of this section notwithstanding,
the acquisition of citizenship by a natural born
Filipino citizen from one of the Iberian and any
friendly democratic Ibero-American countries or
from the United Kingdom shall not produce loss or
forfeiture of his Philippine citizenship if the
law of that country grants the same privilege to
its citizens and such had been agreed upon by
treaty between the Philippines and the foreign
country from which citizenship is acquired.2
Section. 2. How citizenship may be reacquired.
Citizenship may be reacquired:
(1) By naturalization: Provided, That the
applicant possess none of the
disqualification's prescribed in section two
of Act Numbered Twenty-nine hundred and

twenty-seven,3
(2) By repatriation of deserters of the
Army, Navy or Air Corp: Provided, That a
woman who lost her citizenship by reason of
her marriage to an alien may be repatriated
in accordance with the provisions of this
Act after the termination of the marital
status;4 and
(3) By direct act of the National Assembly.
Section 3. Procedure incident to reacquisition of
Philippine citizenship. The procedure
prescribed for naturalization under Act Numbered
Twenty-nine hundred and twenty-seven,5 as
amended, shall apply to the reacquisition of
Philippine citizenship by naturalization provided
for in the next preceding section: Provided, That
the qualifications and special qualifications
prescribed in section three and four of said Act
shall not be required:And provided, further,
(1) That the applicant be at least twentyone years of age and shall have resided in
the Philippines at least six months before
he applies for naturalization;
(2) That he shall have conducted himself in
a proper and irreproachable manner during
the entire period of his residence in the
Philippines, in his relations with the
constituted government as well as with the
community in which he is living; and
(3) That he subscribes to an oath declaring
his intention to renounce absolutely and
perpetually all faith and allegiance to the

foreign authority, state or sovereignty of

which he was a citizen or subject.
Section 4. Repatriation shall be effected by
merely taking the necessary oath of allegiance to
the Commonwealth6 of the Philippines and
registration in the proper civil registry.
Section 5. The Secretary of Justice shall issue
the necessary regulations for the proper
enforcement of this Act. Naturalization blanks
and other blanks required for carrying out the
provisions of this Act shall be prepared and
furnished by the Solicitor General, subject to
approval of the Secretary of Justice.
Section 6. This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.
Approved, October 21, 1936.

RA 8171, "An Act Providing for the Repatriation of Filipino Women Who Have Lost Their Philippine
Citizenship by Marriage to Aliens and of Natural-Born Filipinos," was enacted on October 23, 1995.
It provides for the repatriation of only two (2) classes of persons, viz:
1) Filipino women who have lost their Philippine citizenship by marriage to aliens; and
2) natural-born Filipinos who have lost their Philippine citizenship, including their minor
children, on account of political or economic necessity, may reacquire Philippine citizenship
through repatriation in the manner provided in Section 4 of Commonwealth Act No. 63, as amended:

There are two ways of acquiring citizenship: (1) by birth, and (2) by naturalization. These ways of
acquiring citizenship correspond to the two kinds of citizens: the natural-born citizen, and the
naturalized citizen. A person who at the time of his birth is a citizen of a particular country, is
a natural-born citizen thereof

Commonwealth Act. No. 63 OCTOBER 21, 1936

Philippine citizenship may be reacquired by a former citizen:
(1) by naturalization,
(2) by repatriation, and
(3) by direct act of Congress.[15]
Naturalization is a mode for both acquisition and reacquisition of Philippine citizenship. As a mode
of initially acquiring Philippine citizenship, naturalization is governed by Commonwealth Act No.
473, as amended. On the other hand, naturalization as a mode for reacquiring Philippine citizenship
is governed by Commonwealth Act No. 63. [16] Under this law, a former Filipino citizen who wishes to
reacquire
Philippine
citizenship
must
possess
certain
qualifications[17] and
none
of
the
[18]
disqualifications mentioned in Section 4 of C.A. 473.
Repatriation, on the other hand, may be had under various statutes by those who lost their
citizenship due to: (1) desertion of the armed forces;[19] (2) service in the armed forces of the
allied forces in World War II;[20] (3) service in the Armed Forces of the United States at any other
time;[21] (4) marriage of a Filipino woman to an alien;[22] and (5) political and economic necessity.[23]
As distinguished from the lengthy process of naturalization, repatriation simply consists of the
taking of an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and registering said oath in the
Local Civil Registry of the place where the person concerned resides or last resided.

repatriation results in the recovery of the original nationality.[26] This means that a naturalized
Filipino who lost his citizenship will be restored to his prior status as a naturalized Filipino
citizen. On the other hand, if he was originally a natural-born citizen before he lost his
Philippine citizenship, he will be restored to his former status as a natural-born Filipino.

LAWS
COMMONWEALTH ACT
No. 63
AN ACT PROVIDING
FOR THE WAYS IN
WHICH PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP MAY BE
LOST OR REACQUIRED
OCTOBER 21, 1936

NATURALIZATION
naturalization as a mode
for reacquiring Philippine
citizenship is governed by
Commonwealth Act No. 63.
[16]
Under
this
law,
a
former
Filipino
citizen
who wishes to reacquire
Philippine
citizenship
must
possess
certain
qualifications[17] and
none
of the disqualifications
mentioned in Section 4 of
C.A. 473.[18]

REPATRATION

LOST/REACQUISITION

QUALIFIED :
1.deserters
Army, Navy
Corp:

Lost
of
or

the
Air

2.a woman who lost

her
citizenship
by
reason
of
her
marriage to an alien
may be repatriated in
accordance with the
provisions
of
this
Section
3. Procedure
Act
after
the
incident to reacquisition
termination
of
the
of Philippine citizenship.
marital status;4 and
The procedure prescribed
for naturalization under
Act Numbered Twenty-nine How :
hundred and twenty-seven
(2927) ,5 as amended (by CA SeC. 4. Repatriation
473) ( shall apply to the shall be effected by
merely
taking
the

(1) By naturalization
in a foreign country;
(2) By express
renunciation of
citizenship;
(3) By subscribing to
an oath of allegiance
to support the
constitution or laws
of a foreign country
upon attaining twentyone years of age or
more: Provided,
however, That a
Filipino may not
divest himself of
Philippine citizenship
in any manner while

reacquisition
of
Philippine citizenship by
naturalization
provided
for in the next preceding
section: Provided,
That
the
qualifications
and
special
qualifications
prescribed
in
section
three and four of said Act
shall not be required:And
provided, further
(1) That the
applicant be at least
twenty-one years of
age and shall have
resided in the
Philippines at least
six months before he
applies for
naturalization;
(2) That he shall
have conducted
himself in a proper
and irreproachable
manner during the
entire period of his
residence in the
Philippines, in his
relations with the
constituted
government as well as
with the community in
which he is living;
and
(3) That he
subscribes to an oath

necessary
oath
of
allegiance
to
the
Commonwealth6 of the
Philippines
and
registration in the
proper
civil
registry.

the Republic of the

Philippines is at war
with any country;
(4) By rendering
services to,
or accepting
commission in,
the armed forces of a
foreign country.
(5) By cancellation of
the of the
certificates of
naturalization;
(6) By having been
declared by competent
authority, a deserter
of the
Philippine armed
forces in time of war,
unless subsequently, a
plenary pardon or
amnesty has been
granted; and
(7) In the case of a
woman, upon her
marriage to a
foreigner if, by
virtue of the laws in
force in her husband's
country, she acquires
his nationality.1
(1) By
naturalization:

declaring his
intention to renounce
absolutely and
perpetually all faith
and allegiance to the
foreign authority,
state or sovereignty
of which he was a
citizen or subject.

Provided, That the

applicant possess none
of the
disqualification's
prescribed in section
two of Act Numbered
Twenty-nine hundred
and twenty-seven,3
(2) By repatriation of
deserters of the Army,
Navy or Air
Corp: Provided, That a
woman who lost her
citizenship by reason
of her marriage to an
alien may be
repatriated in
accordance with the
provisions of this Act
after the termination
of the marital
status;4 and
(3) By direct act of
the National Assembly

CA NO. 473
JUNE 17, 1939

FILE THE PETITION

AN ACT TO PROVIDE IN THE COMPETENT COURT

FOR THE ACQUISITION
OF
PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP
BY
NATURALIZATION, AND
TO
REPEAL
ACTS
NUMBERED
TWENTYNINE
HUNDRED
AND
TWENTY-SEVEN
AND
THIRTY-FOUR HUNDRED
AND FORTY-EIGHT
JUDICIAL
NATURALIZATION

Republic Act. 530

June 16, 1950
AN ACT MAKING
ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS FOR
NATURALIZATION

1. no petition for
Philippine
citizenship shall be
heard by the courts
until after six
months from the
publication of the
application required
by law,
2. nor shall any
decision granting the
application become
executory until after
two years from its
promulgation

and after the court, on

proper hearing, with the

attendance
of
the
Solicitor General or his
representative,
is
satisfied, and so finds,
that
during
the
intervening
time
the
applicant
has
:(1)
not
left the Philippines, (2)
has
dedicated
himself
continuously to a lawful
calling or profession, (3)
has not been convicted of
any offense or violation
of Government promulgated
rules, (4) or committed
any act prejudicial to the
interest of the nation or
contrary to any Government
announced policies
CA no. 625

AN ACT PROVIDING
THE MANNER IN WHICH
THE OPTION TO ELECT
PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP SHALL
BE DECLARED BY A
PERSON WHOSE MOTHER
IS A FILIPINO
CITIZEN
June 7, 1941

ELECTION OF CITIZENSHIP as
Required by 1935
Constitution
Section 1. The option to
elect
Philippine
citizenship in accordance
with
subsection
(4),
section 1, Article IV, of
the Constitution1 shall be
expressed in a statement to
be signed and sworn to by
the party concerned before
any officer authorized to
administer oaths, and shall
be filed with the nearest
civil registry. The said
party shall accompany the

aforesaid
statement
with
the oath of allegiance to
the Constitution and the
Government
of
the
Philippines.
Section
2. If
the
party
concerned is absent from
the
Philippines,
he
may
make the statement herein
authorized
before
any
officer of the Government
of
the
United
States
authorized
to
administer
oaths, and he shall forward
such
statement
together
with
his
oath
of
allegiance, to the Civil
Registry of Manila.

RA NO. 2630
aN ACT PROVIDING
FOR REACQUISITION
OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP BY
PERSONS WHO LOST
SUCH CITIZENSHIP BY
RENDERING SERVICE
TO, OR ACCEPTING
COMMISSION IN, THE
ARMED FORCES OF THE
UNITED STATES
Approved, June 18,

Section 1. Any person

who
had
lost
his
Philippine
citizenship
by
rendering service to,
or
accepting
commission
in,
the
Armed Forces of the
United
States,
or
after separation from
the Armed Forces of
the
United
States,
acquired
United
States
citizenship,
may
reacquire

1960.

Philippine
citizenship by taking
an oath of allegiance
to the Republic of
the Philippines and
registering the same
with the Local Civil
Registry in the place
where he resides or
last resided in the
Philippines. The said
oath
of
allegiance
shall
contain
a
renunciation of any
other citizenship.
Section 2. This Act
shall take effect
upon its approval.

RA 8171
OCTOBER 3, 1995
30 DAYS AFTER
PUBLICATION

AN ACT PROVIDING
FOR THE
REPATRIATION OF
FILIPINO WOMEN WHO
HAVE LOST THEIR
PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP BY
MARRIAGE TO ALIENS

Section 1.
1. Filipino women who
have lost their
Philippine
citizenship by
marriage to
aliens; and
2. natural-born
Filipinos who have

AND OF NATURAL-BORN
FILIPINOS.

lost their
Philippine
citizenship,
including their
minor children, on
account of
political or
economic
necessity,
may
reacquire
Philippine
citizenship
through
repatriation
in
the
manner
provided
in
Section
4
of
Commonwealth
Act
No.
63,
as
amended: Provided,
That the applicant
is not a:
(1) Person
opposed to organized
government or
affiliated with any
association or group
of persons who uphold
and teach doctrines

opposing organized
government;
(2) Person
defending or teaching
the necessity or
propriety of
violence, personal
assault, or
associatEon for the
predominance of their
ideas;
(3) Person
convictad of crimes
involving moral
turpitude; or
(4) Person
suffering from mental
alienation or
incurablecontagious
diseases.
Sec. 2. Repatriation
shall be effected by
taking the necessary
oath of allegiance to
the Republic of the
Philippines and
registration in the
proper civil registry
and in the Bureau or
Immigration. The

Bureau of Immigration
shall thereupon
cancel the pertinent
alien
certificate of
registration and
issue the certificate
of identification as
Filipino citizen to
the repatriated
citizen.
Sec. 4. This Act
shall take effect
thirty (30) days
after its publication
in a newspaper of
general circulation.
Signed: October 23,
1995

RA NO 9139
AN ACT PROVIDING
FOR THE ACQUISITION
OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP FOR
CERTAIN ALIENS BY
ADMINISTRATIVE
NATURALIZATION AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as

"The Administrative
Naturalization Law of
2000."
Section 2. Declaration of
Policy. - The State shall
control and regulate the

JUNE 8, 2001
15 days following
publication
ADMINISTRATIVE
NATURALIZATION

admission and integration

of aliens into its
territory and body politic
including the grant of
citizenship to aliens.
Towards this end, aliens
born and residing in the
Philippines may be granted
Philippine citizenship by
administrative proceedings
subject to certain
requirements dictated by
national security and
interest.
Section
3. Qualifications. Subject to the provisions
of the succeeding section,
any person desiring to
avail of the benefits of
this Act must meet the
following qualifications:
(a) The applicant must be
born in the Philippines
and residing therein since
birth;
(b) The applicant must not
be less than eighteen (18)
years of age, at the time
of filing of his/her
petition;
(c) The applicant must be
of good moral character
and believes in the

underlying principles of
the Constitution, and must
have conducted
himself/herself in a
proper and irreproachable
manner during his/her
entire period of residence
in the Philippines in his
relation with the duly
constituted government as
well as with the community
in which he/she is living;
(d) The applicant must
have received his/her
primary and secondary
education in any public
school or private
educational institution
dully recognized by the
Department of Education,
Culture and Sports, where
Philippine history,
government and civics are
taught and prescribed as
part of the school
curriculum and where
enrollment is not limited
to any race or
nationality: Provided, Tha
t should he/she have minor
children of school age,
he/she must have enrolled
them in similar schools;
(e) The applicant must
have a known trade,
business, profession or

lawful occupation, from

which he/she derives
income sufficient for
his/her support and if
he/she is married and/or
has dependents, also that
of his/her
family:Provided,
however, That this shall
not apply to applicants
who are college degree
holders but are unable to
practice their profession
because they are
disqualified to do so by
reason of their
citizenship;
(f) The applicant must be
able to read, write and
speak Filipino or any of
the dialects of the
Philippines; and
(g) The applicant must
have mingled with the
Filipinos and evinced a
sincere desire to learn
and embrace the customs,
traditions and ideals of
the Filipino people.

Republic Act No.

9225
- approved
August 29, 2003

Republic Act No. 9225

August 29, 2003

-*** 15 days After

Publication
AN ACT MAKING THE
CITIZENSHIP OF
PHILIPPINE CITIZENS
WHO ACQUIRE FOREIGN
CITIZENSHIP
PERMANENT. AMENDING
FOR THE PURPOSE
COMMONWEALTH ACT.
NO. 63, AS AMENDED
AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

AN ACT MAKING THE

CITIZENSHIP OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP
PERMANENT.
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
COMMONWEALTH ACT. NO. 63,
AS AMENDED AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of
Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress
assembled:
Section 1. Short
Title this act shall be
known as the "Citizenship
Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003."
Section 2. Declaration of
Policy - It is hereby
declared the policy of the
State that all Philippine
citizens of another country
shall be deemed not to have
lost their Philippine
citizenship under the
conditions of this Act.
Section 3. Retention of
Philippine
Citizenship - Any provision
of law to the contrary
notwithstanding, naturalborn citizenship by reason

of their naturalization as
citizens of a foreign
country are hereby deemed
to have re-acquired
Philippine citizenship upon
taking the following oath
of allegiance to the
Republic:
"I
_____________________,
solemny swear (or
affrim) that I will
support and defend the
Constitution of the
Republic of the
Philippines and obey
the laws and legal
orders promulgated by
the duly constituted
authorities of the
Philippines; and I
hereby declare that I
recognize and accept
the supreme authority
of the Philippines and
will maintain true
faith and allegiance
thereto; and that I
imposed this
obligation upon myself
voluntarily without
mental reservation or
purpose of evasion."
Natural born citizens of
the Philippines who, after
the effectivity of this

Act, become citizens of a

foreign country shall
retain their Philippine
citizenship upon taking the
aforesaid oath.
Section 4. Derivative
Citizenship - The unmarried
child, whether legitimate,
illegitimate or adopted,
below eighteen (18) years
of age, of those who reacquire Philippine
citizenship upon
effectivity of this Act
shall be deemed citizenship
of the Philippines.
Section 5. Civil and
Political Rights and
Liabilities - Those who
retain or re-acquire
Philippine citizenship
under this Act shall enjoy
full civil and political
rights and be subject to
all attendant liabilities
and responsibilities under
existing laws of the
Philippines and the
following conditions:
(1) Those intending to
exercise their right
of surffrage must Meet
the requirements under
Section 1, Article V
of the Constitution,

Republic Act No. 9189,

otherwise known as
"The Overseas Absentee
Voting Act of 2003"
and other existing
laws;
(2) Those seeking
elective public in the
Philippines shall meet
the qualification for
holding such public
office as required by
the Constitution and
existing laws and, at
the time of the filing
of the certificate of
candidacy, make a
personal and sworn
renunciation of any
and all foreign
citizenship before any
public officer
authorized to
administer an oath;
(3) Those appointed to
any public office
shall subscribe and
swear to an oath of
allegiance to the
Republic of the
Philippines and its
duly constituted
authorities prior to
their assumption of
office: Provided, That
they renounce their

oath of allegiance to
the country where they
took that oath;
(4) Those intending to
practice their
profession in the
Philippines shall
apply with the proper
authority for a
license or permit to
engage in such
practice; and
(5) That right to vote
or be elected or
appointed to any
public office in the
Philippines cannot be
exercised by, or
extended to, those
who:
(a) are
candidates for or
are occupying any
public office in
the country of
which they are
naturalized
citizens; and/or
(b) are in active
service as
commissioned or
non-commissioned
officers in the
armed forces of

the country which

they are
naturalized
citizens.

*** Republic Act No. 6809 December 13, 1989 -AN ACT LOWERING THE AGE OF MAJORITY FROM TWENTY-ONE TO
EIGHTEEN YEARS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBERED TWO HUNDRED NINE, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

LAWS

TITLE

DATES

OCTOBER 21, 1936

COMMONWEALTH ACT No. 63

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE WAYS IN

WHICH PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP MAY
BE LOST OR REACQUIRED

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE

CA NO. 473

ACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP BY NATURALIZATION,
AND TO REPEAL ACTS NUMBERED
TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTYSEVEN AND THIRTY-FOUR HUNDRED
AND FORTY-EIGHT

JUNE 17, 1939

JUDICIAL NATURALIZATION
AN ACT MAKING ADDITIONAL
PROVISIONS FOR NATURALIZATION
Republic Act. 530

CA no. 625

RA NO. 2630

June 16, 1950

AN ACT PROVIDING THE MANNER IN

WHICH THE OPTION TO ELECT
PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP SHALL BE
DECLARED BY A PERSON WHOSE
MOTHER IS A FILIPINO CITIZEN

aN ACT PROVIDING FOR

REACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP BY PERSONS WHO LOST
SUCH CITIZENSHIP BY RENDERING
SERVICE TO, OR ACCEPTING
COMMISSION IN, THE ARMED FORCES

June 7, 1941

Approved, June 18, 1960

OF THE UNITED STATES

RA 8171

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE

REPATRIATION OF FILIPINO WOMEN
WHO HAVE LOST THEIR PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP BY MARRIAGE TO
ALIENS AND OF NATURAL-BORN
FILIPINOS

RA NO 9139

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE

ACQUISITION OF PHILIPPINE
CITIZENSHIP FOR CERTAIN ALIENS
BY ADMINISTRATIVE NATURALIZATION
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

NATURALIZATION

APPROVED OCTOBER 3, 1995

30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION

APPROVED JUNE 8, 2001

15 days following publication

ADMINISTRATIVE

Republic Act No. 9225

approved

AN ACT MAKING THE CITIZENSHIP OF

PHILIPPINE CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP PERMANENT.
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
COMMONWEALTH ACT. NO. 63, AS
AMENDED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

August 29, 2003 -*** 15 days

After Publication