Q. I am a dual citizen now-Canadian/Filipino. When I took the oath we were told to present the certificate of being Filipino again plus the forms with our pictures/thumb marked, at the Philippine airport’s port of entry when we arrive there.
If I do this at the port of entry in the Philippines, my understanding is that I will be considered as a citizen of the Philippines again and not as Canadian while in the Philippines or I am both?
I heard that if I am in the Philippines and something bad happened, since I am a Filipino citizen there, the government of Canada can’t interfere (example: during terrorist, kidnapping). Can you please enlighten me? What are my legal obligations, benefits, risks? Thanks M.
Ands:
Hi Ms. M, Your being a dual citizen (Canadian and Filipino) does not mean that when you are in the Philippines, the Canadian government will not have jurisdiction over you. For as long as you enter the Philippines using your Canadian passport, this could imply that you are travelling as Canadian citizen, despite of the fact that you have dual citizenship.
Your dual citizenship as a Filipino citizen means that under the law you are deemed to have retained and/or reacquire your citizenship and therefore you are entitled to all rights and privileges as Filipino(except to hold public office whether elective or appointive positions), including the right to enter and live in the Philippines without securing Philippine VISA .
Under the Constitution and being a Filipino citizen, the enjoyment of such rights and privileges also entails certain obligations and duties. For instance, when you are in the Philippines in cases of invasion, insurrection, rebellion or war, you can be compelled to render civil or military services, depending on your physical and medical condition. This is also generally true being a Canadian citizen or a citizen of any country for that matter.
Thus, to allay your apprehension and if you don’t intend to live or stay longer or more than one(1) year in the Philippines as a “balikbayan”, just use your Canadian passport in coming and going out of the Philippines. And should you over stay in the Philippines, or you want to live or engage in businesses reserved only to Filipino citizen, and then you may invoke your dual citizenship for the said purposes.
For instance, if you over stay in the Philippines, and you used your Canadian passport in coming in, all you have to do, when you exit is to present your certificate of Dual Citizenship issued by the Philippine Consular office or by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to the immigration authorities at the airport so that you will not be anymore required to pay penalty/fine for having overstayed in the Philippines.
So if you come to the Philippines using your Canadian passport, you are still entitled to the protection and consular services accorded to the citizens of Canada even though you are in the Philippines. Looking forward you’ll find the above in order.