Constitutional Law: Asynchronous Activity

Name: Timothy Joseph D. Ang

Date: September 14, 2023

a. Philippine Bill of 1902

Under Section 4 of the Philippine Bill of 1902, it explicitly states that the requisites for citizenship are as follows:
(1) All inhabitants of the Philippine Islands continuing to reside therein who were Spanish subjects on
April 11th, 1899, and then resided in the Philippine Islands, and their children born subsequent
thereto.

b. 1935 Constitution
In Article 4, Section 1 of the 1935 Constitution, the requisites of Citizenship are as follows:
(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippines Islands at the time of the adoption of this Constitution.
(2) Those born in the Philippine Islands of foreign parents who, before the adoption of this constitution,
had been elected to public office in the Philippine Islands
(3) Those whose fathers are citizens of the Philippines and, upon reaching the age of majority, elect
Philippine citizenship.
(4) Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

c. 1973 Constitution
According to Article III, Section 1 of the 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 and 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.

Section 2. A female citizen of the Philippines who marries an alien retains her Philippine citizenship, unless by
her act or omission she is deemed, under the law, to have renounced her citizenship.

Section 3. Philippine citizenship may be lost or reacquired in the manner provided by law.

Section 4. A natural-born citizen is one who is a citizen of the Philippines from birth without having to perform
any act to acquire or perfect his Philippine citizenship.

d. 1987 Constitution `
Article IV, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution identifies that the following are citizens of the Philippines:
(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of the 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 the law.

1. Who are natural born citizens? Are those who elected Philippine Citizenship natural-born Filipino Citizens?
a. Natural born citizens are those who a) at the moment of their birth are already citizens of the Philippines and b)
do not have to perform any act to acquire his Philippine Citizenship.
b. Those who elect Philippine Citizenship are not natural-born citizens. Rather they are classified under Citizens
through election – that is, they are those born to Filipino mothers before January 17, 1973 who, upon reaching
the age of majority, elect Philippine Citizenship after the ratification of the 1973 Constitution.

2. Can a dual citizen run for public office?

a. Republic Act 7160 firmly states that those who elect dual-citizenship (and/or Allegiance) are disqualified from
running for public office. In the case of Mercado V Manzano where Mercado petitioned for the disqualification
of Manzano for the grounds that the latter is a dual-citizen of the Philippines and of the United States. The court
ruled that the act of filing for candidacy in and of itself constitutes a renouncement of any form of allegiance to
the United States. The petition ruled in favor of Manzano.