ARTICLE IV

CITIZENSHIP
SECTION 1. The following are citizens
of the Philippines:

(1) Those who are citizens of the

Philippines at the time of the
adoption of this Constitution;
(2) Those whose fathers or mothers are
citizens of the Philippines;
(3) Those born before January 17, 1973,
of Filipino mothers, who elect
Philippine citizenship upon
reaching the age of majority; and
(4) Those who are naturalized in
accordance with law.
CITIZEN CITIZENSHIP
- a member of a - denotes membership
democratic of a citizen in a political
community who society , which
enjoys full civil and membership implies,
political rights and is reciprocally, a duty of
accorded protection allegiance on the part
inside and outside of the members and
the territory of the duty of protection on
State. the part of the state.
General ways of acquiring citizenship:

INVOLUNTARY METHOD
by birth because of
blood relationship (jus sanguinis) or
place of birth (jus soli).

VOLUNTARY METHOD
by naturalization
(1) Those who are citizens of the
Philippines at the time of the
adoption of this Constitution

The citizens referred to are those

considered Filipino citizens at the time
of the effectivity of the present
Constitution on February 2, 1987.
(2) Those whose fathers or mothers are
citizens of the Philippines

The Philippines follows the principle of jus

sanguinis. In determining the citizenship
of the child, Filipino mothers are placed
on equal footing with their husbands.
(3) Those born before January 17, 1973,
of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine
citizenship upon reaching the age of
majority

Under the 1935 Constitution, a child born of

a Filipino mother, who was married to a
foreigner, is born an alien and remains an
alien during his minority until he elects
Philippine citizenship.
(4) Those who are naturalized in
accordance with law.

Those who are not Filipino citizens at birth

may become citizens by
NATURALIZATION which is a voluntary
method of acquiring citizenship by
renouncing his former citizenship and
embracing a new one.
SECTION 2.
Natural-born citizens are those who
are citizens of the Philippines from
birth without having to perform any
act to acquire or perfect their
Philippine citizenship.
SECTION 3.

Philippine citizenship may be

lost or reacquired in the manner
provided by law.
Ways of losing citizenship
VOLUNTARILY
a.) by naturalization in a foreign country
b.) by express renounciation of citizenship
c.) by supporting the constitution and laws of a
foreign country
d.) by rendering service to the armed forces of
a foreign country

INVOLUNTARILY
a.) by cancellation of his certificate of
naturalization by the court
b.) by having been declared as a deserter in the
Philippine armed forces in time of war.
Ways of reacquiring lost
Philippine Citizenship
a.) by naturalization

b.) by repatriation of deserters of the

Philippine armed forces

c.) by direct act of the Congress.

SECTION 4.

Citizens of the Philippines who

marry aliens shall retain their
citizenship, unless by their act or
omission they are deemed, under
the law, to have renounced it.
SECTION 5.

Dual allegiance of citizens is

inimical to the national interest
and shall be dealt with by law.
NOTE: What Section 5 prohibits is not
dual citizenship but dual allegiance.
Dual citizenship arises because our
laws cannot control laws of other
countries on citizenship.
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9225
Citizenship Retention and
Re-acquisition Act of 2003

Natural-born citizens of the Philippines who

have lost their Philippine citizenship by
reason of their naturalization as citizens of
a foreign country are hereby deemed to
have re-acquired Philippine citizenship
upon taking the oath of allegiance to the
Republic.
I

ARTICLE V

SUFFRAGE
SECTION 1.
Suffrage may be exercised by all
citizens of the Philippines not otherwise
disqualified by law, who are at least
eighteen years of age, and who shall
have resided in the Philippines for at
least one year and in the place wherein
they propose to vote for at least six
months immediately preceding the
election.
Meaning of SUFFRAGE:
right and obligation to vote of qualified
citizens in the election of public officers.

Nature of Suffrage:
1.) A mere privilege – suffrage is not a
natural right but merely a privilege to be
given or withheld by the law.

2.) A political right – suffrage enables a

citizen to participate in the process of
government.
Scope of Suffrage
ELECTION – means by which people choose
their officials.
PLEBISCITE – vote of the people expressing
their choice for or against a proposed
law submitted to them.
REFERENDUM – submission of a law passed
by the legislative body to the people for
their ratification or rejection.
INITIATIVE – people directly propose and enact
laws.
RECALL – a method by which a local elective
official may be removed from office
during his tenure.
Age qualification
This is based on the assumption that
under a certain age, human beings have
the maturity, experience, education and
sense of judgment that will enable them
to vote with reasonable degree of
intelligence.
Residence qualification

This is to give reasonable period within

which a person can familiarize himself
with the needs and conditions and the
personalities of the nation and locality.
Persons disqualified to vote

1.) Those who have been sentenced to

suffer imprisonment for not less than 1 yr.

2.) Those who committed any crime

involving disloyalty to the government
such as rebellion and sedition.

3.) Those declared as insane or

incompetent persons.
SECTION 2.
The Congress shall provide a system
for securing the secrecy and sanctity
of the ballot as well as a system for
absentee voting by qualified Filipinos
abroad.

The Congress shall also design a

procedure for the disabled and the
illiterates to vote without the
assistance of other persons.
Secrecy and Sanctity of the Ballot
to insure that the voters shall exercise their
right to freely, uninfluenced by threats,
intimidation or corrupt motives and to secure
a fair and honest count of the ballots.

Absentee Voting System

Filipinos who, by force of circumstances,
have temporarily work and reside abroad but
maintain their love and loyalty to their native
land are still part of our Republic, they are
also affected by the quality of public officials
and policies of the government.
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189
The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003

All citizens of the Philippines abroad, who

are not otherwise disqualified by law, at
least eighteen (18) years of age on the
day of elections, may vote for president,
vice-president, senators and party-list
representatives.