Granting citizenship to deserving aliens

Presidential Decree No. 923 references Presidential Decree No. 836 dated December 3, 1975, which previously granted Philippine citizenship to deserving aliens screened and recommended for citizenship by the Special Committee on Naturalization under Letter of Instruction No. 270.
The decree relies on the Special Committee on Naturalization’s completion of processing for a second group of applicants.
The decree states that the Special Committee has recommended to the President the grant of Philippine citizenship by decree to these applicants.

Presidential Decree No. 923 grants Philippine citizenship to individuals of foreign nationality whose names appear in Annex A.
Annex A is published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 73, No. 14, pp. 2589-67 to 2589-108.
The decree grants all rights, privileges, duties, and obligations appurtenant to citizenship upon the persons named in Annex A.
The citizenship granted has the same effects and is subject to the same conditions provided under Presidential Decree No. 836.

Presidential Decree No. 923 amends Presidential Decree No. 836 by inserting an additional paragraph numbered “3-A.”
Section 3-A (as inserted) requires that copies of the oaths of allegiance of the wives and copies of the certificates of naturalization of the wives and minor children of persons who acquire Philippine citizenship under the decree be furnished to the Commission on Immigration and Deportation.
Section 3-A directs the Commission on Immigration and Deportation to cancel the certificates of registration as aliens of the wives and minor children once the required copies are furnished.
Section 3-A requires the Commission on Immigration and Deportation to issue corresponding identification certificates as citizens to the wives and minor children after cancellation.

The decree provides that the citizenship grant carries with it the rights, privileges, duties, and obligations associated with the acquisition of Philippine citizenship.
The decree expressly ties the effects and conditions of the grant to the framework already established in Presidential Decree No. 836.
The decree’s incorporation of Presidential Decree No. 836 governs how citizenship is treated for the persons listed in Annex A.

The decree establishes an administrative step through the Commission on Immigration and Deportation for wives and minor children.
The furnishing of copies of oaths of allegiance and certificates of naturalization triggers the administrative action of cancellation of alien registration certificates.
The cancellation is followed by issuance of identification certificates as citizens for the affected wives and minor children.
This administrative consequence applies specifically to wives and minor children of persons who acquire Philippine citizenship under Presidential Decree No. 923.