PH commission urges Filipino immigrants to acquire dual citizenship

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) on Friday encouraged Pinoy immigrants abroad who acquired a foreign nationality to seek dual citizenship so they may continue to enjoy the benefits of their Filipino status.

"We always encourage them na once you're naturalized citizen ng ibang bansa, ire-acquire niyo po ang inyong Filipino citizenship. Mura lang po. It doesn't mean na nag-dual kayo ng Pilipinas, matatanggal 'yung foreign citizenship, hindi po. So, you have the best of both worlds," Rodrigo Garcia Jr., CFO Policy, Planning, and Research Division chief said in the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.

(We always encourage them that once you're a naturalized citizen of another country, please re-acquire your Filipino citizenship. This is very affordable. It doesn't mean that having a dual citizenship, your foreign citizenship will be invalid. With this, you have the best of both worlds.)

Republic Act 9225, or the Dual Citizenship Law, allows natural-born Filipinos who have become national citizens abroad to retain or reacquire their Filipino citizenship by taking an oath before a Philippine Consular office.

The processing fee for dual citizenship usually costs $50 or roughly P2,900.

The CFO official noted that acquiring a Filipino citizenship would allow Filipinos abroad to still own lands or business in the Philippines.

Having such citizenship would also allow these Filipinos to participate in the Philippine elections, he added, as provided by the Republic Act 10590 or the Overseas Voting Act.

"Para kapag naging dual citizen na sila, they can still go back to the country, they have ownership of the lands still, and pwede sila mag-negosyo…. Gusto rin natin sila maging partners for economic development, so hinihikayat natin sila mag-negosyo sa Pilipinas," said Garcia.

(If you are a dual citizen, they can still go back to the country, have ownership of the lands and establish their business… We want them to be partners for economic development, so we encourage them to have a business in the Philippines.)

"At the same time bumoto sa eleksyon. Since mayroon na tayong overseas voting law, that also allows Filipino citizens to vote in the national elections."

(At the same time, it will allow them to vote in the elections. Since we already have an overseas voting law that also allows Filipino citizens to vote in the national elections.)

As of 2020, data by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that there are 50,089 Filipinos with dual citizens residing in the country. — VDV, GMA Integrated News