Senate OKs bill granting Philippine citizenship to Bienve Marañon on 2nd reading

The Senate on Monday approved on second reading the measure seeking to grant Philippine citizenship to Spanish football player Bienvenido Morejon Marañon.

During its plenary session, the chamber approved House Bill 8631 taking into consideration Senate Bill 1391.

Marañon came to the Philippines in May 2015 and played for Ceres Negros Football Club, one of the teams in the Philippines Football League. He was named top scorer and awarded as best import player in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

In pushing for the approval of the measure, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who authored Senate Bill 1391, said Marañon "has come to love the country and its people" in the five years that he has been playing football in the Philippines.

"He dreams of building a family in this country, and raising his children surrounded by the kindness, humility, and hospitality that Filipinos are known for," he said.

"He also aspires to represent the Philippines as part of the national team vying in international competitions, and make the country known as one of the top teams in the world of football," he added.

Apart from that of Marañon, the Senate is also deliberating the measure granting Philippine citizenship to Kakou Ange Franck Williams Kouame of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.—AOL, GMA News