The Civil Service Commission (CSC) recently clarified its policy on the employment in the government service of Filipinos with dual citizenship.
Republic Act No. 9225 or the “Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2003” states that natural born Filipinos who were naturalized in other countries could retain or re-acquire Philippine citizenship and may only be appointed to any public office after (1) taking an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and its duly constituted authorities prior to their assumption to office, and (2) renouncing their oath of allegiance to the country where they took the oath.
However, the CSC clarified in its Resolution No. 2101052 dated 7 December 2021 that said requirements do not apply to dual citizens whose foreign citizenship was acquired under the following circumstances:
a. by birth through the jus soli (right of soil) principle or the citizenship by virtue of just being born in a nation’s territory;
b. through derivative naturalization or the citizenship given to minors through the naturalization of parents; or
c. through adoption of Filipino minors by alien adoptive parent/s provided that the alien adoptive parents complied with the provisions of Adoption Law.
The renunciation of foreign citizenship applies only to those with dual allegiance such as dual citizens whose foreign citizenship was acquired through naturalization or at their own volition.
CSC Resolution No. 2101052 was published on 4 February 2022 in Business World and takes effect after 15 days from said publication.