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(NAR) VOL. 13 NOS. 1-2 / JANUARY-MARCH 2002

[ BI MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. ADD-02-022, MAY 16, 2002, May 16, 2002 ]

CERTIFICATE OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP



Republic Act No. 8239 (The Philippine Passport Act of 1996), Sections 3(d), (4) and (5) provide the following:

Sec. 3. Definitions. — As used in this Act:

xxx xxx xxx

(d) Passport is a document issued by the Philippine government to its citizens and requesting other governments to allow the citizen to pass safely and freely, and in case of need to give him/her all lawful aid and protection; (Italics mine)

Sec. 4. Authority to Issue, Deny, Restrict or Cancel — Upon the application of any qualified Filipino citizen, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs or any of his authorized consular officer may issue passports in accordance with this Act. (Italics mine)

Sec. 5. Requirements for the Issuance of Passport — No passport shall be issued to an applicant unless the Secretary (of Foreign Affairs) or his duly authorized representative is satisfied that the applicant is a Filipino citizen x x x (Italics mine)

Based on these provisions, the issuance of a Philippine passport by the Honorable Secretary of Foreign Affairs affirms the claim to Philippine citizenship of its bearer, despite the latter's possession of a foreign passport.

Therefore, for immigration purposes, a minor child of a Philippine citizen bearing a foreign passport may be issued, upon proof of payment of immigration fees, a Certificate of Philippine Citizenship by the Commissioner of Immigration under Commonwealth Act No. 613, Section 3, as amended.

This memorandum order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 16 May 2002

(SGD.) ANDREA D. DOMINGO
Commissioner











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