Title
Citizenship Grant to Francis B. Harrison
Law
Commonwealth Act No. 79
Decision Date
Oct 26, 1936
Commonwealth Act No. 79 grants Francis Burton Harrison, former Governor-General of the Philippines, Filipino citizenship, recognizing his contributions and granting him all the rights and privileges of a Filipino citizen, including the right to vote and hold public office, upon taking an oath of allegiance to both the United States and the Philippines.

Oath of allegiance requirement

  • Section 1 provides that Harrison shall enter upon the full enjoyment of Filipino citizenship upon taking the oath of allegiance.
  • Section 1 requires the oath to recognize and accept the supreme authority of the United States of America in the Philippines.
  • Section 1 requires the oath-taker to support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines.
  • Section 1 requires the oath-taker to obey the laws, legal orders, and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
  • Section 1 requires the oath-taker to impose the obligation voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.
  • Section 1 includes the formula “So help me God” as part of the oath.

Rights, duties, and privileges covered

  • Section 1 states that Harrison’s citizenship includes all rights and all duties incident to Filipino citizenship.
  • Section 1 states that Harrison’s citizenship includes all privileges and prerogatives incident to Filipino citizenship.
  • Section 1 makes the grant coextensive with whatever citizenship rights and duties are conferred by Philippine law under the Constitution and laws, now or hereafter enacted.

Effectivity and timing

  • Section 2 provides that Commonwealth Act No. 79 takes effect upon its approval.
  • The law was Approved, October 26, 1936.
  • Section 2 makes approval the operative trigger for the statute’s effectivity.

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