another good one from SS

DUAL CITIZENSHIP: “ONCE A FILIPINO, ALWAYS A FILIPINO"

(This is a reprint from PerryScope, Sun, 15 Oct 2006, by Perry Diaz.. PerryScope is available from http://www.MyPinoyWorld.com)

To  my knowledge, the notion of “Once a Filipino, Always a Filipino” first appeared in 1992 at a conference sponsored by the Philippine Studies Program of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and several Filipino-American organizations.  The conference was held in Berkeley, California and the theme was “Pilipino Kahit Saan, Kahit Kailan” (“Once a Filipino, Always a Filipino, Anywhere, Anytime”).  The focus of the conference was the proposition that the “Filipino indigenous culture is alive, dynamic and operational in the Filipino people anywhere the Filipino psyche is in the world.”

 

This reminds me of  what Dr .Samuel K. Tan, former Chairman and Professor in the Department of Historyof the University of the Philippines, said in his book, “A History of the Philippines.”  He postulated that the indigenous Filipino culture has been enriched by foreign cultures but not altered.  In other words, regardless of the foreign influence in the past 485 years, our indigenous traits are still inherent among Filipinos. 

 

Having been in the US for 36 years, most of the time I can tell a US-born Asian whether he or she is of Filipino descent.  There is something in a Filipino that only another Filipino can feel.  It is called gut feelings or “vibes.”  But while I can recognize a Filipino when I see one, I can’t tell if he or she is of Ilocano, Visayan, Pampango or Tagalog parentage.  Which leads me to believe that the indigenous Filipino culture is retained and passed on from one generation to another.  It is no wonder that when overseas Filipinos have an event, they display flags of both the Philippines and their host or adopted country and sing the national anthems of both countries.  And, yes, those who wear their barong Filipino radiate with pride.  You really can feel the “vibes” and makes me feel like I want to go home to change my attire to barong Filipino.

 

 Filipino traits that have withstood the test of time and westernization of Filipino culture are a big part of the lives of Filipinos wherever they may be.  Today, the spirit of  “Bayanihan” -- helping one another -- is manifested in every Filipino community.  And Filipino hospitality is reputed to be one of the best -- if not the best --  in the world.  The resiliency of the Filipino people -- tempered by 400 years of  colonial rule -- has equipped us to survive any hardship and adapt to any environment. 

 

A Filipino can go anywhere in the world and blend in with the people.  And when Filipinos encounter insurmountable obstacles or problems, they consign their fate to God and say “Bahala na” (“It is in God’s Hand”).  Most of the time, this unilateral “covenant” with God works, or appears to work, only because whatever happens -- favorable or not -- would be God’s will. 

 

Today, with more than eight million overseas Filipinos, the Filipino Diaspora -- which started 100 years ago when the first 15 Filipino “sacadas” (farm workers) arrived at the plantations in Hawaii --  has created thousands of Filipino “colonies” in more than 120 countries around the world: from the three-million strong Filipino communities in the United States to the tiny Filipino community in Katmandu, Nepal.  Story has it that when two Filipino explorers reached the summit of Mt. Everest earlier this year, they were given a warm reception by Katmandu’s Filipino community consisting of two Filipinas married to Nepalese. 

 

Last week, the Philippine government announced that approximately  600,000 Filipinos were deployed in overseas jobs during the first half of 2006.  That is 3,300 Filipinos departing  every day for jobs abroad.   During that same period, total remittances reached $6 billion, an increase of 15.4% from the same period last year.  One of the factors that substantially increased the dollar remittances is the growing demand for well-trainedprofessionals.  

 

With their earnings, the overseas Filipinos are content with the fruits of their labor and ensuring that their families are enjoying their new social status -- the nouveau riche.  But with their families’ financial security on solid foundation, there is an increasing political awareness among the overseas Filipinos.

 

With the passage of the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 (OAV) and the Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2004 (RA 9225, Dual Citizenship), the overseas Filipinos are now clamoring for political representation.  And finally, the overseas Filipinos -- including the “dual citizens” -- have metastasized into Global Filipinos.  Why not?  With the recent decision of the Philippine Supreme Court upholding the right of dual citizens to vote, there is a new ball game in Philippine politics. Global Filipino advocates are now demanding for equal representation in the Philippine Congress. After all, eight million Global Filipinos with dollar remittances is hard to ignore. 

 

Recently, the US Philippine Embassy released a FAQ on Dual Citizenship.  It clarified that RA 9225 (Dual Citizenship) “declares that former natural-born Filipino citizens who acquired foreign citizenship through naturalization are deemed not to have lost their Philippine citizenship under conditions provided in the Act.”  It also clarified that “a natural-born citizen is a person born of one or both parents who are Filipino citizens at the time of birth.” 

 

It further clarified that “a child born of parents who are both Filipino citizens (at the time of birth) in a country that adheres to the “jus soli” principle (eg, the United State) is a dual citizen.  The child, who is natural-born Filipino because the Philippines adheres to the “jus sanguinis” principle, is also entitled to apply for a US passport.”

 

 “Jus soli” (right of soil) is the legal principle that a person’s nationality at birth is determined by the place of birth (ie, the territory of a given state).  “Jus sanguinis” (right of blood) is the legal principle that, at birth, an individual acquires the nationality of his/her natural parent/s.

 

In my opinion, Philippine citizenship is passed on from Filipino citizens to their natural children and to the children of their children.  When will it end?  Once a Filipino, always a Filipino, anywhere, anytime.

 

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( Digital Drawing by:

Vic Costes )