ARTICLE IV

CITIZENSHIP
Who are the citizens of the Philippines?
Under Section 1:
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.
Citizenship, Defined
It is a personal and more or less permanent membership in a political
community.
It denotes possession of full civil and political rights.
It imposes the duty of allegiance to the political community.
The core of citizenship is the capacity to enjoy political rights, i.e. the right to
participate in government principally the (a) right to vote; (b) the right to hold
public office; and (c)the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
Two Kinds
Natural-Born
Jus Soli
Jus Sanguinis
Naturalization
Under Par.1-3, considered as natural born citizens.
Under Par. 2, the 1935 Constitution adopted the principle of jus sanguinis as an
absolute rule.
Under Par.3, this provision is not retroactive. It applies only to those born of a
Filipina mother on or after the activity of the 1973 Constitution, which took effect on
January 17, 1973.
History: 1935 Constitution, a Filipina who marries an alien will lose her Filipino
citizenship. But the child, upon reaching the age of majority, may elect Philippine
citizenship.
Under Par.4, naturalization can be given to an alien through administrative, judicial,
or legislative action.
Definition of Natural-Born citizen.
Loss of citizenship.
Reacquisition of citizenship

Dual citizenship vs. dual allegiance