ARTICLE IV:

CITIZENSHIP

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.
Photos by Christian Babista
KINDS OF CITIZENS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
Natural-born citizens – refer to those:
- who at the moment of their birth are already citizens of the Philippines, and
- do not have to perform any act to acquire his Philippines citizenship.

Citizens during the new 1973 Constitution:

They refer to those who are considered citizens of the Philippines under the 1973
constitution at the time of the adoption of the new Constitution.

Citizens through election:

They refer to those who are born of Filipino mothers before Jan. 17, 1973 who, upon
reaching the age of majority, elect Philippine citizenship after the ratification of the
1973 Constitution.

Naturalized citizens:
They refer to those who were originally citizens of another country , but who, by an
intervening act (i.e.naturalization) have acquired new citizenship in another country.
 ARTICLE IV:
CITIZENSHIP

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

Photos by Christian Babista

LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP
You may lose your citizenship in any of the ff. ways and/or events:

Voluntarily:
- naturalization in a foreign country. (compliant to R.A. No. 9225)
- by express renunciation of citizenship.
- by subscribing to an oath of allegiance to support the constitution and laws of a foreign
country and:
- by rendering service to armed forces of a foreign country.

Involuntarily:
- by cancellation of his certificate of naturalization by the court, and
- having been declared by competent authority, a deserter in the Phil. Armed Forces in time
of war.

* The voluntary loss of renunciation of one’s nationality is called expatriation. In

time of war, however, a Filipino citizen cannot expatriate himself.
REACQUISITION OF LOST PHIL. CITIZENSHIP
Citizenship may be reacquired:

By naturalization:
- provided the applicant possesses none of the disqualifications provided in the
naturalization law;

By repatriation of deserters:
- of Phil. Armed Forces and women who lost their citizenship by reason of marriage to an
alien, after the termination of their marital status, and

By direct act of the Congress of the Philippines

* Repatriation is effected by merely taking the necessary oath of allegiance to

the Republic of the Philippines and registering the same in the proper civil
registry.
 ARTICLE IV:
CITIZENSHIP

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.

Photos by Christian Babista

EFFECT OF MARRIAGE OF CITIZEN TO AN ALIEN

You don’t lose your Phil.

citizenship even if you
marry an alien.
(even if by the laws of his/her husband’s/wife’s country)

*The exception is where “by their act or omission they

are deemed, under the law, to have renounced their
citizenship.” such as (under an existing law) subscribing to an
oath of allegiance to support the constitution and the laws of a
foreign country. A Filipino woman, who upon marriage to an
alien acquires her citizenship, will possess two citizenships –
Philippine citizenship and that of her husband.
END