Article IV

The following are citizens of the

Philippines:
◦Those who are citizens of the
Philippines at the time of the
adoption of this Constitution;
◦Those whose fathers or mothers
are citizens of the Philippines;
◦Those born before January 17,
1973, of Filipino mothers, who
elect Philippine Citizenship
upon reaching the age of
majority; and
◦Those who are naturalized in the
accordance with law.
 Citizen
◦An individual having the title of
citizenship.
Enjoys full civil and political
privileges
 Citizenship

◦Connotes
 membership in a
political society
◦Implies a duty of allegiance on the
part of the member
◦Duty of protection on the part of
the State
 Nationals/Nationality

◦ Owes allegiance to the State

◦ Not necessarily a citizen
◦ E.g. Filipinos during American occupation
 American nationals but not American
citizens
◦ Not all nationals are citizens of a State,
but all citizens of a State
are its nationals.
 Aliens

◦Foreigners
◦Not given full rights to
citizenship but should be
protected by the State as a
person and his property
  Involuntary

◦By birth
◦Because of blood relationship or
place of birth
◦No need to do anything
 Voluntary

◦By naturalization
◦Application
 Jus Sanguinis
◦ Blood relationship
 Follows the citizenship of the parents or one
of them

Jus Soli
◦ Place of birth
 Becomes a citizen of the state where he is
born
 Regardless of the citizenship of the parents
  Mother is a Philippine citizen, while the father
is an American citizen. The mother gave birth
while they are having a tour at the United
States?
 What is the citizenship of the child?
◦ Filipino – Jus Sanguinis
◦ American – Jus Soli
◦ Dual Citizenship
  Those whose fathers or mothers
are citizens of the Philippines
◦ Jus Sanguinis
◦ As long as one of the parents is a
Filipino citizen
 Regardless where the child was
born
 Those who are naturalized in the accordance
with law
◦ Those who are not Filipino at birth
◦ Acquired citizenship by naturalization

 Naturalization
◦ Act of formally adopting a foreigner into the
political body of the state and clothing him with the
rights and privileges of citizenship
◦ Renunciation of previous nationality
 Judgement of the Court
◦ Application for naturalization (RTC)
◦ Must have all qualifications and none of the
disqualifications
 Revised Naturalization Act

 Act of Congress
◦ Law making body passes a law conferring
citizenship to a foreigner
 “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.”
1. Natural-born Citizens
◦ Filipinos at birth
◦ Do not have to perform any act to acquire citizenship

Example
Johnny Dela Cruz migrated to the US when he
was 21 and elected to renounce his Philippine
citizenship and embrace American citizenship.
However, on his retirement, he decided to retire
in the Philippines, thus he decided to reacquire
his Philippine citizenship. Can he be considered
a natural-born Philippine citizen?
2. Citizens at the time of adoption of the new
Constitution
◦ Philippine citizen under the 1973 constitution or
on January 17, 1973

3. Citizen through election (1935

Constitution)
◦ Born before Jan.17, 1973, upon reaching age
of majority elected Philippine citizenship even
after the ratification of the 1973 constitution
 “Philippine citizenship may be
lost or reacquired in the
manner provided by law.”
 Voluntary
◦ Naturalization in a foreign country
◦ Expatriation - Renunciation of citizenship
◦ Taking an oath of allegiance to a foreign country
◦ Rendering services to the Armed Forces of a foreign
country
 Involuntary
◦ Cancellation of certificate of naturalization
 punishment
◦ Deserter in the Armed Forces of the Philippines in
 Naturalization

 Act of Congress

 Repatriation
◦ Marrying members of Armed Forces of a foreign
country
◦ Termination of Marital Status
 Oath of Allegiance to the Philippines
 Registering in the Civil Registry
“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.”
 Marriage
◦ Binding contract / Mutual
◦ Citizenship of the husband/wife is also
absorbed by their partner
◦ A Philippine citizen woman married a
Singaporean businessman. What is now
the citizenship of the woman?
 Philippine Citizen and that of her husband
 Dual Citizenship
“Dual allegiance of citizens is inimical
to the national interest and shall be
dealt with by law.”
 Continued allegiance of naturalized nationals to
their mother country

 Dual citizenship is different from Dual Allegiance

◦ Dual citizenship is accepted
◦ Dual allegiance is illegal
 Inimical to national interest
 Can’t serve two masters at the same time
 In times of war, you were called on by the Philippine
government to render service