COMMONWEALTH ACT No.

63
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE WAYS IN WHICH PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP
MAY BE LOST OR REACQUIRED
Be it enacted by the National Assembly of the Philippines:
Section 1. How citizenship may be lost. A Filipino citizen may lose his
citizenship in any of the following ways and/or events:
(1) By naturalization in a foreign country;
(2) By express renunciation of citizenship;
(3) By subscribing to an oath of allegiance to support the constitution or
laws of a foreign country upon attaining twenty-one years of age or more:
Provided, however, That a Filipino may not divest himself of Philippine
citizenship in any manner while the Republic of the Philippines is at war
with any country;
(4) By rendering services to, or accepting commission in, the armed
forces of a foreign country: Provided, That the rendering of service to, or
the acceptance of such commission in, the armed forces of a foreign
country, and the taking of an oath of allegiance incident thereto, with the
consent of the Republic of the Philippines, shall not divest a Filipino of his
Philippine citizenship if either of the following circumstances is present:
(a) The Republic of the Philippines has a defensive and/or offensive
pact of alliance with the said foreign country; or
(b) The said foreign country maintains armed forces on Philippine
territory with the consent of the Republic of the Philippines:
Provided, That the Filipino citizen concerned, at the time of
rendering said service, or acceptance of said commission, and
taking the oath of allegiance incident thereto, states that he does so
only in connection with his service to said foreign country: And
provided, finally, That any Filipino citizen who is rendering service to,
or is commissioned in, the armed forces of a foreign country under
any of the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b), shall
not be permitted to participate nor vote in any election of the
Republic of the Philippines during the period of his service to, or
commission in, the armed forces of said foreign country. Upon his
discharge from the service of the said foreign country, he shall be
automatically entitled to the full enjoyment of his civil and political
rights as a Filipino citizen;
(5) By cancellation of the of the certificates of naturalization;
(6) By having been declared by competent authority, a deserter of the
Philippine armed forces in time of war, unless subsequently, a plenary
pardon or amnesty has been granted; and

(7) In the case of a woman, upon her marriage to a foreigner if, by virtue
of the laws in force in her husband's country, she acquires his nationality. 1
The provisions of this section notwithstanding, the acquisition of citizenship by
a natural born Filipino citizen from one of the Iberian and any friendly
democratic Ibero-American countries or from the United Kingdom shall not
produce loss or forfeiture of his Philippine citizenship if the law of that country
grants the same privilege to its citizens and such had been agreed upon by
treaty between the Philippines and the foreign country from which citizenship is
acquired.2
Section. 2. How citizenship may be reacquired. Citizenship may be
reacquired:
(1) By naturalization: Provided, That the applicant possess none of the
disqualification's prescribed in section two of Act Numbered Twenty-nine
hundred and twenty-seven,3
(2) By repatriation of deserters of the Army, Navy or Air Corp: Provided,
That a woman who lost her citizenship by reason of her marriage to an
alien may be repatriated in accordance with the provisions of this Act
after the termination of the marital status;4 and
(3) By direct act of the National Assembly.
Section 3. Procedure incident to reacquisition of Philippine citizenship. The
procedure prescribed for naturalization under Act Numbered Twenty-nine
hundred and twenty-seven,5 as amended, shall apply to the reacquisition of
Philippine citizenship by naturalization provided for in the next preceding
section: Provided, That the qualifications and special qualifications prescribed
in section three and four of said Act shall not be required: And provided,
further,
(1) That the applicant be at least twenty-one years of age and shall have
resided in the Philippines at least six months before he applies for
naturalization;
(2) That he shall have conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable
manner during the entire period of his residence in the Philippines, in his
relations with the constituted government as well as with the community
in which he is living; and
(3) That he subscribes to an oath declaring his intention to renounce
absolutely and perpetually all faith and allegiance to the foreign authority,
state or sovereignty of which he was a citizen or subject.
Section 4. Repatriation shall be effected by merely taking the necessary oath
of allegiance to the Commonwealth<SUP>6 of the Philippines and registration
in the proper civil registry.

Section 5. The Secretary of Justice shall issue the necessary regulations for
the proper enforcement of this Act. Naturalization blanks and other blanks
required for carrying out the provisions of this Act shall be prepared and
furnished by the Solicitor General, subject to approval of the Secretary of
Justice.
Section 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved, October 21, 1936.

*As Amended by RA 106, RA 2639 and RA 3834.

1</SUP>Words in bold in the text above are amendments introduced by RA 106, section 1, approved June 2, 1947.
Statutory History of section 1:

Original text-

SECTION 1. How citizenship may be lost. - A Filipino citizen may lose his citizenship in any of the

following ways and/or events:

(1) By naturalization in a foreign country;

(2) By express renunciation of citizenship;

(3) By subscribing to an oath of allegiance to support the constitution or laws of a foreign country upon attaining
twenty-one years of age or more;
(4) By accepting commission in the [military, naval or air service] of a foreign country;
(5) By cancellation of the certificate of naturalization;
(6) By having been declared by competent authority, a deserted of the Philippine [army, navy or air corps] in time
of war, unless subsequently a plenary partdon or amnesty has been granted; and
(7) In the case of a woman, upon her marriage to a foreigner if, by virtue of the law in force in her husband's
country, she acquires his nationality. (Ed. Note: Words in brackets were deleted in RA 106 supra.)

2</SUP><I>Words in bold in the text above are amendments introduced by RA 3834, section 1, approved June 22, 1963 to
the last paragraph of section 1. Said paragraph was inserted as an amendment by RA 2639, section 1, approved June 18, 1960..
Statutory History of (last paragraph of section 1):
The provisions of the paragraph as inserted by RA 2639, being similar to the amemded

provisions, supra, except for the

words in bold, are not reproduced here.

3</SUP>Now Ca 473.

4</SUP>See PD 725 promulgated June 5, 1975 providing for repatriation of filipino women who had lost their Philippine
citizenship by marriage to aliens.

5</SUP>Now CA 473.

6</SUP>Now Republic.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 9225

August 29, 2003
AN ACT MAKING THE CITIZENSHIP OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP PERMANENT. AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
COMMONWEALTH ACT. NO. 63, AS AMENDED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Congress of the Philippines

Twelfth Congress
Third Regular Session
Begun held in Metro Manila on Monday, the twenty-eighth day of July, two thousand three.
Republic Act No. 9225

August 29, 2003

AN ACT MAKING THE CITIZENSHIP OF PHILIPPINE CITIZENS WHO ACQUIRE

FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP PERMANENT.
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE COMMONWEALTH ACT. NO. 63, AS AMENDED AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short Title this act shall be known as the "Citizenship Retention and RE-acquisition
Act of 2003."
Section 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State that all Philippine
citizens of another country shall be deemed not to have lost their Philippine citizenship under the
conditions of this Act.
Section 3. Retention of Philippine Citizenship - Any provision of law to the contrary
notwithstanding, natural-born citizenship by reason of their naturalization as citizens of a foreign
country are hereby deemed to have re-acquired Philippine citizenship upon taking the following
oath of allegiance to the Republic:
"I _____________________, solemny swear (or affrim) that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and obey the laws and legal orders
promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Philippines; and I hereby declare that I
recognize and accept the supreme authority of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and
allegiance thereto; and that I imposed this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental
reservation or purpose of evasion."
Natural born citizens of the Philippines who, after the effectivity of this Act, become citizens of a
foreign country shall retain their Philippine citizenship upon taking the aforesaid oath.
Section 4. Derivative Citizenship - The unmarried child, whether legitimate, illegitimate or adopted,
below eighteen (18) years of age, of those who re-acquire Philippine citizenship upon effectivity of
this Act shall be deemed citizenship of the Philippines.
Section 5. Civil and Political Rights and Liabilities - Those who retain or re-acquire Philippine
citizenship under this Act shall enjoy full civil and political rights and be subject to all attendant
liabilities and responsibilities under existing laws of the Philippines and the following conditions:

(1) Those intending to exercise their right of surffrage must Meet the requirements under
Section 1, Article V of the Constitution, Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as "The
Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003" and other existing laws;
(2) Those seeking elective public in the Philippines shall meet the qualification for holding
such public office as required by the Constitution and existing laws and, at the time of the
filing of the certificate of candidacy, make a personal and sworn renunciation of any and all
foreign citizenship before any public officer authorized to administer an oath;
(3) Those appointed to any public office shall subscribe and swear to an oath of allegiance to
the Republic of the Philippines and its duly constituted authorities prior to their assumption
of office: Provided, That they renounce their oath of allegiance to the country where they
took that oath;
(4) Those intending to practice their profession in the Philippines shall apply with the proper
authority for a license or permit to engage in such practice; and
(5) That right to vote or be elected or appointed to any public office in the Philippines cannot
be exercised by, or extended to, those who:
(a) are candidates for or are occupying any public office in the country of which they
are naturalized citizens; and/or
(b) are in active service as commissioned or non-commissioned officers in the armed
forces of the country which they are naturalized citizens.
Section 6. Separability Clause - If any section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or
invalid, any other section or provision not affected thereby shall remain valid and effective.
Section 7. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 8. Effectivity Clause This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
publication in the Official Gazette or two (2) newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,

JOSE DE VENECIA JR.

Speaker of the House of Representatives

FRANKLIN DRILON
President of the Senate

This Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2130 and House Bill No. 4720 was finally
passed by the the House of Representatives and Senate on August 25, 2003 and August 26, 2003
respectiveley
ROBERTO P. NAZARENO
Secretary General
House of Represenatives

OSCAR G. YABES
Secretary of Senate

Approved: August 29, 2003