2. UNDERSTANDING CITIZENSHIP
Topics:
The Meaning of Citizenship
Understanding the terms: citizen, alien, and nationals;
General Ways of Acquiring Citizenship;
Determine who are Filipino citizens; and
Ways of acquiring citizenship, the process of
naturalization, as well as the ways of re-acquiring the lost
citizenship, and the duties and obligations of the citizens.
3. CITIZENSHIP
Understanding the Meaning
Citizenship this means membership in a political community. This
includes the duty to be loyal to the state, and the state has a duty to give
protection to its members.
Citizens this pertain to the persons carrying a title of citizenship. This
includes the enjoyment of civil and political rights provided by law.
Nationality, this is a very broad term which refers to the persons who owe
allegiance to the state whether a citizens of the country or not.
Nationals refer to the persons who are not citizens of the country but owe
allegiance to it. Hence, before the United States of America grant full
independence to the Philippines, the Filipinos were the nationals of the
America since they owed allegiance to the United States of America, but they
were not its citizens.
Aliens they are the citizens of the country who are residing or passing
through another country.
4. Involuntary Method: by birth
Jus Sanguinis Principle
Jus Soli/Jus Loci Principle
GENERAL WAYS OF ACQUIRING CITIZENSHIP
5. VOLUNTARY METHOD
• Naturalization - it is the act of formally adopting a
foreigner into the political body of the state and clothing him
with the rights and privileges of citizenship. It implies the
renunciation of a former nationality.
• Marriage
7. THE CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES:
1. Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of
the adoption of the 1987 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
4. Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.
8. NATURAL BORN CITIZENS
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. (Art. IV,
Sec. 2)
Who are Natural-Born Citizens?
Natural-born citizens are:
Those citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform
any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship;
Those who elect Philippine Citizenship upon reaching the age of
majority, with Filipino mother and alien father before the adoption of the
1973 Constitution.
10. FILIPINO CITIZENSHIP MAY BE LOST IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING
INSTANCES:
Voluntary
1. By naturalization in a foreign country;
2. By express renunciation of citizenship (expatriation);
3. By subscribing to an oath of allegiance to support the constitution and laws of a
foreign country;
4. By rendering service to, or accepting commission in the Armed Forces of a foreign
country
Involuntary
1. By cancellation of certificate of naturalization by the
court; and
2. By having been declared by competent authority, a deserter in the Philippine
Armed Forces in times of war.
11. LOST CITIZENSHIP MAY BE RE-ACQUIRED IN ANY OF
THE FOLLOWING:
a. By Naturalization;
b. By Repatriation; and
c. By direct act of the Congress of the
Philippines
Repatriation – is effected by merely taking
the necessary oath of allegiance the Republic
of the Philippines and registering the same in
the proper Civil Registry.
12. WHAT IS THE EFFECT IF A FILIPPINO
MARRIES AN ALIEN?
13. There is no effect if a Filipino marries an alien. They will
remain a Filipino even if he/she will acquire the citizenship
of his/her spouse in accordance with the law of his/her
spouse’s country. Hence, he/she will be having a dual
citizenship – A Filipino Citizen and that of his/her foreign
husband. (Art. IV, Sec.4)
14. WHAT ARE THE PRIME
DUTIES/OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITIZENS
15. DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITIZENS:
It is the prime duty of the government to serve and protect all
citizens, and in like manner the citizens has an obligation to:
uphold and defend the fundamental law;
defend the state against foreign aggression;
be loyal to the country;
pay taxes for the development and welfare of the state;
participate in the exercise of suffrage;
exercise right responsibly as well as to respect the rights of
other people;
cooperate with the governmental authorities;
honor the Philippine Flag;
other obligations as may be provided by law.
