Naturalization of Aliens by Decree Guidelines

The guidelines are meant to integrate aliens permanently residing in the Philippines into the national fabric by grant of Philippine citizenship.
Priority is given to aliens who have demonstrated love for and loyalty to the Philippines, and affinity to Filipino customs, traditions, and ideals.
The guidelines also recognize aliens who have contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of the Philippines.

The Solicitor General shall chair a Committee composed of the concerned addressees to receive, consider, and submit recommendations on applications for naturalization by decree.
The Committee shall evaluate applicants based on listed qualifications and disqualifications.
The Committee shall submit recommendations to the President on eligibility and qualification for naturalization by decree.

An applicant must be not less than 21 years of age on the date of filing of the petition.
If born in a foreign country, the applicant must have been legally admitted into the Philippines either as an immigrant or a non-immigrant.
The applicant must have continuous residence in the Philippines of ten years.
Residence is reduced to five years for applicants with any one of the following special qualifications:
- Having honorably held office under the Government of the Philippines or under any provincial/city/municipal government or political subdivision;
- Having established a new industry or introduced a useful invention in the Philippines;
- Being married to a Filipino;
- Having been engaged as a teacher in the Philippines in a public or recognized private school not established for the exclusive instruction of children of persons of a particular nationality or race, in any branch of education of industry, for not less than two years;
- Having been born in the Philippines.

An applicant must be of good moral character and must believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution.
An applicant must have conducted himself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of residence in relation with:
- the constituted government, and
- the community where the applicant lives.

An applicant must have a known trade, business, profession, or lawful occupation that yields income sufficient for support.
If the applicant is married or has dependents, the income requirement extends to the support of the family.
An applicant must be able to speak and write Pilipino; or English or Spanish, and any of the principal Philippine languages.

An applicant must enroll minor children of school age in any public or private schools recognized by the Department of Education and Culture.
The required curriculum must teach or prescribe Philippine history, government and civics as part of the school curriculum.
The enrollment requirement must cover the period of residence in the Philippines required prior to filing the petition.

An applicant must have mingled socially with the Filipinos during the period of residence in the Philippines.
An applicant must have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace Filipino customs, traditions and ideals.

An applicant must not be opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group that upholds and teaches doctrines opposing all organized governments.
An applicant must not defend or teach the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault, or assassination for the success and predominance of the applicant’s ideas.
An applicant must not be a polygamist or a believer in the practice of polygamy.
An applicant must not have been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.
An applicant must not be suffering from mental alienation or any incurable contagious disease.

An applicant born of a Filipino mother before the effectivity of the new Constitution is treated as qualified without need of further qualification.
Continuous residence is required from birth in the Philippines for such applicants.
Such applicants remain subject to the disqualifications enumerated above.

Each application must be filed in triplicate.
The application must be signed and verified by the petitioner himself.
The application must be accompanied by photographs.
The application must include certified true or xerox copies of:
- the certificate of arrival (if any),
- the Alien Certificate of Registration, and
- the Immigrant Certificate of Residence.
The application must be supported by separate affidavits of two credible witnesses.
The affidavits must state that the witnesses have personally known the petitioner for the period required under the residence qualification.
The affidavits must also state that the petitioner is a person of good repute and morally irreproachable.
The affidavits must further state that, in the witnesses’ opinion, the petitioner has all qualifications to become a citizen of the Philippines and is not disqualified under the guidelines.

Applications shall be filed with the Committee not later than ________________, 1975.
Based on the data available to the Committee, the Committee must submit recommendations to the President not later than May 15, 1975 on which applicants are eligible and qualified for naturalization by decree.
The names and data of aliens previously screened by the Department of National Defense and the NISA, and found appropriate for naturalization by decree, must be forwarded to the President without need of prior screening by the Committee.

The officials are authorized to promulgate rules and regulations.
They are authorized to prescribe appropriate forms for the application process.
They are authorized to prescribe the required fees for effective and expeditious implementation of the guidelines.