Concepts Citizen
Concepts Citizen
Concepts Citizen
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall control and regulate the
admission and integration of aliens into its territory and body politic including the
grant of citizenship to aliens. Towards this end, aliens born and residing in the
Philippines may be granted Philippine citizenship by administrative proceedings
subject to certain requirements dictated by national security and interest.
(a) The applicant must be born in the Philippines and residing therein since birth;
(b) The applicant must not be less than eighteen (18) years of age, at the time of
filing of his/her petition;
(c) The applicant must be of good moral character and believes in the underlying
principles of the Constitution, and must have conducted himself/herself in a proper
and irreproachable manner during his/her entire period of residence in the
Philippines in his relation with the duly constituted government as well as with the
community in which he/she is living;
(d) The applicant must have received his/her primary and secondary education in
any public school or private educational institution dully recognized by the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports, where Philippine history,
government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum
and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality: Provided, That
should he/she have minor children of school age, he/she must have enrolled them
in similar schools;
(e) The applicant must have a known trade, business, profession or lawful
occupation, from which he/she derives income sufficient for his/her support and if
he/she is married and/or has dependents, also that of his/her family: Provided,
however, That this shall not apply to applicants who are college degree holders but
are unable to practice their profession because they are disqualified to do so by
reason of their citizenship;
(f) The applicant must be able to read, write and speak Filipino or any of the
dialects of the Philippines; and
(g) The applicant must have mingled with the Filipinos and evinced a sincere
desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino
people.
(g) Citizens or subjects with whom the Philippines is at war, during the period of
such war; and
(h) Citizens or subjects of a foreign country whose laws do not grant Filipinos the
right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.
Section 5. Petition for Citizenship. - (1) Any person desiring to acquire Philippine
citizenship under this Act shall file with the Special Committee on Naturalization
created under Section 6 hereof, a petition of five (5) copies legibly typed and
signed, thumbmarked and verified by him/her, with the latter's passport-sized
photograph attached to each copy of the petition, and setting forth the following:
(a) The petitioner's name and surname, and any other name he/she has used or by
which he/she is known;
(c) The petitioner's place and date of birth, the names and citizenship of his/her
parents and their residences;
(d) The petitioner's trade, business, profession or occupation, and if married, also
that of his/her spouse;
(f) If the petitioner has children, the name, date and birthplace and residences of
his/her children ;
(g) A declaration that the petitioner possesses all the qualifications and none of the
disqualifications under this Act;
(h) A declaration that the petitioner shall never be a public charge; and
(i) A declaration that it is the petitioner's true and honest intention to acquire
Philippine citizenship and to renounce absolutely and forever any prince, potentate,
State or sovereign, and particularly the country of which the applicant is a citizen
or subject.
(e) Affidavit of financial capacity by the petitioner, and sworn statements on the
good moral character of the petitioner by at least two (2) Filipino citizens of good
reputation in his/her place of residence stating that they have personally known the
petitioner for at least a period of ten (10) years and that said petitioner has in their
own opinion all the qualifications necessary to become a citizen of the Philippines
and is not in any way disqualified under the provisions of this Act;
(g) School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner in the schools he
attended in the Philippines. Should the petitioner have minor children, a
certification that his children are enrolled in a school where Philippine history,
government and civics are taught and are part of the curriculum; and
(h) If gainfully employed, the income tax return for the past three (3) years.
If the petition is found by the Committee to be wanting in substance and form, the
petition shall be dismissed without prejudice.
Section 8. Approval or Disapproval of the Petition. - Within sixty (60) days from
receipt of the report of the agencies which were furnished a copy of the petition or
the date of the last publication of the petition, whichever comes in later, the
Committee shall consider and review all relevant and material information it has
received pertaining to the petition, and may, for the purpose call the petitioner for
interview to ascertain his/her identity, the authenticity of the petition and its
annexes, and to determine the truthfulness of the statements and declarations made
in the petition and its annexes.
If the Committee shall have received any information adverse to the petition, the
Committee shall allow the petitioner to answer, explain or refute the information.
Thereafter, if the Committee believes, in view of the facts before it, that the
petitioner has all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications required for
Philippine citizenship under this Act, it shall approve the petition and henceforth,
notify the petitioner of the fact of such approval. Otherwise, the Committee shall
disapprove the same.
Section 10. Duty of the Bureau of Immigration. - Within five (5) days after the
applicant has taken his oath of allegiance as required in the preceding section, the
BI shall forward a copy of the petitioner's oath to the proper local civil registrar.
Thereafter, the BI shall cancel the alien certificates of registration of the applicant.
Section 11. Status of Alien Wife and Minor Children. - After the approval of the
petition for administrative naturalization in cancellation of applicant's alien
certificate of registration, applicant's alien lawful wife and minor children may file
a petition for cancellation of their alien certificates of registration with the
Committee subject to the payment of the filing fee of Twenty thousand pesos
(P20,000.00) and naturalization fee of Forty thousand pesos (P40,000.00) payable
as follows: Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) upon the approval of the petition
and Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) upon the taking of the oath of allegiance
to the Republic of the Philippines.
Section 12. Status of Alien Husband and Minor Children. - If the applicant is a
married woman, the approval of her petition for administrative naturalization will
not benefit her alien husband but her minor children may file a petition for
cancellation of their alien certificates of registration with the BI subject to the
requirements of existing laws.
(a) If it finds that the naturalized person or his duly authorized representative made
any false statement or misrepresentation or committed any violation of law, rules
and regulations in connection with the petition for naturalization, or if he otherwise
obtains Philippine citizenship fraudulently or illegally, the certificate of
naturalization shall be cancelled;
(b) If the naturalized person or his wife, or any or his minor children who acquire
Filipino citizenship by virtue of his naturalization shall, within five (5) years next
following the grant of Philippine citizenship, establish permanent residence in a
foreign country, that individual's certificate of naturalization or acquired
citizenship shall be cancelled or revoked: Provided, That the fact of such person's
remaining for more than one (1) year in his country of origin, or two (2) years in
any foreign country, shall be considered prima facie evidence of intent to
permanently reside therein;
(c) If the naturalized person or his wife or child with acquired citizenship allows
himself or herself to be used as a dummy in violation of any constitutional or legal
provision requiring Philippine citizenship as a condition for the exercise, use or
enjoyment of a right, franchise or privilege, the certificate of naturalization or
acquired citizenship shall be cancelled or revoked; and
(d) If the naturalized person or his wife or child with acquired citizenship commits
any act inimical to national security, the certificate of naturalization or acquired
citizenship shall be cancelled or revoked.
In case the naturalized person holds any hereditary title, or belong to any order of
nobility, he shall make an express renunciation of his title or membership in this
order of nobility before the Special Committee or its duly authorized
representative, and such renunciation shall be included in the records of his
application for citizenship.
Section 14. Penalties. - Any person who shall fraudulently make, falsify, forge,
change, alter, or cause or aid any person to do the same, or who shall purposely aid
and assist in falsely making, forging, falsifying, changing or altering a
naturalization certificate issued under this proceeding for the purpose of making
use thereof, or in order that the same may be used by another person or persons,
and any person who shall purposely aid and assist another in obtaining a
naturalization certificate in violation of this Act, shall be punished by a fine of not
more than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,OOO.OO) and by imprisonment for
not more than five (5) years, and in the case that the person convicted is a
naturalized citizen, his certificate of naturalization shall, if not earlier cancelled by
the Special Committee, be ordered cancelled.
Section 15. Any person who failed to register his/her birth with the concerned city
or municipal civil registrar may, within two (2) years from the effectivity of this
Act, file a petition for the acquisition of the Philippine citizenship: Provided, That
the applicant possesses all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications
under this Act and subject to the requirements of existing laws.
Section 18. Repealing Clause. -All provisions of existing laws, orders, decrees,
rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed
or modified accordingly.
Section 19. Separability CIause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the part, section or provision not affected
thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.
Section 20. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
(Sgd)
AQUILINO Q. PIMENTEL JR.
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be entitled as the "Foundling Recognition
and Protection Act".
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State values the dignity of every human
being and guarantees full respect for human rights. A child has the same general
human rights as an adult, with specific rights that recognize specific needs. As
such, the State shall protect the rights and ensure access to assistance, including
proper care, nutrition and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse,
cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to the development of every
child.
The State shall uphold the best interests of the child, including and especially the
child with distinct vulnerabilities, such as the neglected, stateless, and abandoned
or deserted, by proactively and diligently inquiring into the facts of the child's birth
and parentage. It recognizes the generally accepted thrust of international law to
reduce and prevent statelessness. It shall protect any child with unknown parents
by ensuring a natural-born citizen status consistent with our Constitution, the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other relevant
instruments, and the generally accepted principles of international law. The State
shall also adopt measures to ensure that support services are provided to foundlings
and acts inimical to their welfare are penalized.
In furtherance of the State policy to create one body to exercise all powers and
functions relating to alternative child care, State services relating to the protection
and welfare of foundlings shall be placed under the National Authority for Child
Care (NACC).
Section 4. Finder. - The finder shall be a person of legal age who discovered the
deserted or abandoned child: Provided, That if the actual finder is a minor, his or
her parent or legal guardian shall assist in making the report. The finder shall
report within forty-48 (48) hours upon discovery of the child to inform the Local
Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO), closest to him/her, or any safe
haven provider, which shall in turn coordinate with the NACC through the
Regional Alternative Child Care Office (RACCO), for the provision of appropriate
care and services in line with the foundling's needs and best interest.
In case the finder/s apply to become foster parent/s of the foundling, the NACC
shall prioritize the assessment if they meet the qualifications under Republic Act
No. 10165, or the "Foster Care Act of 2012".
ARTICLE I
STATUS AND LEGITIMACY
The relevant provisions of Republic Act No. 11642, otherwise known as the
"Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act", shall apply
in the adoption of foundlings.ℒαwρhi ৷
Consistent with Section 41 of Republic Act No. 11642, once the adoption of the
foundling is finalized, the adopted foundling shall be considered the legitimate
child of the adopter for all intents and purposes and, as such, is entitled to all the
rights and obligations provided by law to legitimate children born to them without
discrimination of any kind. To this end, the adoptee is entitle to love, guidance, and
support in keeping with the means of the family. The legitimate filiation that is
created between the adopter and adopted foundling shall be extended to the
adopter's parents, adopter's legitimate siblings, and legitimate descendants.
The adopter is also given the right to choose the name by which the adopted
foundling is to be known, consistent with the best interest of the child.
Section 7. Alternative Child Care Options. - The NACC, LSWDO, and any
accredited child-caring or child-placing agency shall ensure that foundlings are
provided with alternative child care options, such as but not limited to kinship care,
foster care, or even residential care, consistent with existing laws, while the search
and inquiry into the facts of birth and parentage of the foundling is ongoing.
The NACC, through the RACCOs, all relevant government agencies, the
concerned local government units (LGUs), police authority and the finder shall, at
all times, consider the child's best interest in all actions or support services
provided for a foundling.
ARTICLE II
REGISTRATION
Section 9. Conduct of Search and Inquiry. - Within fifteen (15) days after
commitment, or submission of the affidavit of the finder or other concerned
person, or the information that there is a probable foundling was brought to the
attention of the NACC, unless more time is needed in view of significant
developments, the NACC, through the RACCOs, shall conduct a proactive and
diligent search and inquiry into the facts of birth and parentage of the foundling.
The NACC, through the RACCOs, shall ask assistance from the finder, the LGUs,
LSWDOs, the local or rural health units, the women and child protection desks of
the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Health (DOH), any public
or private hospital, and other concerned individuals in the conduct of the search
and inquiry. The official report of such inquiry shall thereafter be used for the
application for and issuance of the Certificate of Live Birth.
Television, radio or print media or tri-media and other social media platforms shall
be used to conduct the search or to locate the whereabouts of the parents of the
foundling without compromising the confidentiality of one's identity.
The NACC report must attest to the fact that the birth and parentage of the
foundling are unknown despite the proactive and diligent search and inquiry
conducted. The report must be exhaustive and must include all the facts that have
been gathered regarding the parents and the birth of the foundling: Provided, That,
for adult foundlings with no foundling certificate, no exhaustive social case study
report by the RACCO shall be required but the LSWDO shall issue a report on his
or her background and qualifications as a foundling under this Act.
The NACC shall fill out and submit the application for registration to the Local
Civil Registrar which shall issue the Certificate of Live Birth of the foundling after
the receipt of the foregoing requirements: Provided, That one whi has an existing
certificate of foundling or a similar official document issued before the
implementation of this Act may secure a Certificate of Live Birth before the Local
Civil Registrar, which shall immediately issue one, without cost, on the basis of
such document alone: Provided, further, That a certificate of foundling or a similar
official document shall continue to have the same legal effect as a Certificate of
Live Birth.
The concerned agencies shall streamline the registration process for a foundling,
regardless of age and circumstances in order to expedite the issuance of a
Certificate of Live Birth and without placing any unnecessary burden on the
foundling: Provided, That the foundling has the right to access all the documentary
requirements submitted for registration: Provided, further, That in the Certificate
of Live Birth and succeeding public documents, the foundling shall not be referred
to as such, or in any other discriminatory manner: Provided, furthermore, That the
foundling shall not be considered stateless between the period of inding or
discovery and the issuance of the order of confirmation of citizenship: Provide,
finally, That the privacy and best interest of the child shall be protected at all times.
(b) Fraud to conceal the material facts of birth or parentage of the person
that would otherwise not render the person as a foundling.
If the parentage of one foundling is established, and the foundling cannot acquire
the citizenship of the parents which will result in statelessness, the foundling shall
retain Philippine citizenship until such time that it can be established that the
foundling is able to benefit from the citizenship of either parent.
Section 12. Recovering Legal Custody and Restoring Parental Authority. - The
biological parent/s or legal guardian of a foundling may petition the NACC to
recover the legal custody and restore parental authority over the
child: Provided, That if the child was voluntarily committed, or if any of the
following is pending with the NACC: (a) Petition for the issuance of Certificate
Declaring a Child Legally Available for Adoption (CDCLAA), (b) Supervised trial
custody, or (c) Petition for Adoption, the relevant provisions of Republic Act No.
11642 shall apply. In deciding all cases, the best interest of the child shall be the
paramount consideration of the NACC.
If the child is already adopted, all legal ties between the biological parents or legal
guardian and the child are severed and the same shall be vested on the
adopters.ℒαwρhi ৷
The NACC or the LSWDO shall provide necessary counseling and other necessary
programs and services to the biological parents, and the necessary assistance to
authorities when the biological parents of a foundling are identified and express the
desire to reclaim or exercise parental authority over them.
ARTICLE III
SAFE HAVEN
Section 13. Safe Haven. - Notwithstanding Articles 276 and 277 of the Revised
Penal Code and Republic Act No. 7610, any parent who relinquishes an infant
thirty (30) days old and younger to the following persons or entities shall be
exempt from criminal liability:
(c) A church: Provided, That, for purposes of this Act, a church shall be
defined as a place devoted to religious worship held with regularity;
Section 14. Duties and Responsibilities of the Safe Haven Provider. - The safe
haven provider shall:
(d) Within the forty-eight (48) hours from the time of relinquishment of the
child by birth parent/s to safe haven provider or from the report by a finder
that a foundling was discovered, as applicable, inform the NACC through
the RACCO that a child has been relinquished in its custody, including all
information surrounding the identity and circumstances of abandonment of
the child.
Section 16. Immunity for the Safe Haven Provider. - A safe haven provider who
receives an infant pursuant to this Act shall not be liable for any civil damages for
any act ot omission done in maintaining custody of the infant: Provided,, That the
safe haven provider acts in good faith without gross negligence.
ARTICLE IV
PENALTIES
(a) The penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more
than six (6) years shall be imposed on any person who falsifies or is
involved in the falsification of the registration of the supposed foundling,
including the documents required therefor: Provided, That a public officer
found to have been involved in such act of falsification shall be punished by
the penalty next higher in degree;
(b) The penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more
than five (5) years shall be imposed on the finder, the concerned NACC or
RACCO employees, staff of child-caring and child-placing facilities, safe
haven providers, police officers, city, municipal and barangay officers,
health employees, hospital staff and any other concerned person who
refuses, delays, or obstructs the conduct of search and inquiry into the facts
of birth and parentage of the foundling;
(c) A fine ranging from Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) to One
million pesos (P1,000,000.00) shall be imposed on a safe haven provider
that does not report within forty-eight (48) hours that an infant was
relinquished within its premises;
(d) Without prejudice to criminal liability under other laws, a fine ranging
from One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) to Five million pesos
(P5,000,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than three (3)) months but not
more than two (2) years, or both, shall be imposed on any person who
falsifies or is involved in the falsification of the registration of the supposed
foundling, including the documents required therefor, to facilitate the crime
of kidnapping or trafficking in persons: Provided, That a public officer
found to have been involved in such act of falsification shall be punished by
the penalty next higher in degree and shall perpetually disqualified from
office.
The penalties under this section are without prejudice to other liabilities arising
from existing civil, administrative and criminal laws for the same act or violation.
ARTICLE V
FINAL PROVISIONS
.Section 19. Data Collection. - In order to develop and implement more responsive
policies, plans and programs for foundlings, regular and synchronized data
collection shall be conducted by the LGUs in coordination with the PSA, NACC
and other relevant stakeholders. The collection, preservation and sharing of data
shall be conducted pursuant to Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the
"Data Privacy Act of 2012".
Section 20. Retroactive Application. - This Act shall have retroactive effect for any
foundling insofar as it does not prejudice or impair vested or acquired rights
pursuant to existing laws.
Section 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
the approval of this Act, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and the
Executive Director of the Inter-Country Adoption Board shall, in consultation with
the Secretary of Justice, Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, PSA,
Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and two (2) representatives from
child-caring agencies catering to abandoned children and foundlings, formulate the
rules and regulations to implement this Act.
Section 22. Transitory Provision. - All the benefits of this Act shall also apply yo
foundlings duly registered as such during their childhood, but have reached the age
of maturity without benefitting from adoption procedures: Provided, That such
foundling shall undergo the procedure and comply with the requirements outlined
in the IRR within ten (10) years from its effectivity.
Section 23. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders,
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are
hereby likewise repealed or amended accordingly.
Section 24. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provisions of
this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 25. Suppletory Clause. - Republic Act No. 11642, otherwise known as the
"Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act", Republic
Act No. 11222 or the "Simulated Birth Rectification Act", Executive Order No.
209, s. 1987 or "The Family Code of the Philippines", and other existing and
applicable laws on adoption and on child welfare, care and protection shall have
suppletory application to this Act.
Section 26. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days upon
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
COMMONWEALTH ACT No. 473
Section 1. Title of Act. – This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Revised
Naturalization Law."
Section 2. Qualifications. – Subject to section four of this Act, any person having
the following qualifications may become a citizen of the Philippines by
naturalization:
First. He must be not less than twenty-one years of age on the day of the
hearing of the petition;
Fourth. He must own real estate in the Philippines worth not less than five
thousand pesos, Philippine currency, or must have some known lucrative
trade, profession, or lawful occupation;
Fifth. He must be able to speak and write English or Spanish and any one of
the principal Philippine languages; and
Sixth. He must have enrolled his minor children of school age, in any of the
public schools or private schools recognized by the Office of Private
Education1 of the Philippines, where the Philippine history, government and
civics are taught or prescribed as part of the school curriculum, during the
entire period of the residence in the Philippines required of him prior to the
hearing of his petition for naturalization as Philippine citizen.
g. Citizens or subjects of nations with whom the United States 2and the
Philippines are at war, during the period of such war;
h. Citizens or subjects of a foreign country other than the United States 3whose
laws do not grant Filipinos the right to become naturalized citizens or
subjects thereof.
Section 5. Declaration of intention. – One year prior to the filing of his petition for
admission to Philippine citizenship, the applicant for Philippine citizenship shall
file with the Bureau of Justice4 a declaration under oath that it is bona fide his
intention to become a citizen of the Philippines. Such declaration shall set forth
name, age, occupation, personal description, place of birth, last foreign residence
and allegiance, the date of arrival, the name of the vessel or aircraft, if any, in
which he came to the Philippines, and the place of residence in the Philippines at
the time of making the declaration. No declaration shall be valid until lawful entry
for permanent residence has been established and a certificate showing the date,
place, and manner of his arrival has been issued. The declarant must also state that
he has enrolled his minor children, if any, in any of the public schools or private
schools recognized by the Office of Private Education5 of the Philippines, where
Philippine history, government, and civics are taught or prescribed as part of the
school curriculum, during the entire period of the residence in the Philippines
required of him prior to the hearing of his petition for naturalization as Philippine
citizen. Each declarant must furnish two photographs of himself.
Section 10. Hearing of the petition.—No petition shall be heard within the thirty
days preceding any election. The hearing shall be public, and the Solicitor-General,
either himself or through his delegate or the provincial fiscal concerned, shall
appear on behalf of the Commonwealth11 of the Philippines at all the proceedings
and at the hearing. If, after the hearing, the court believes, in view of the evidence
taken, that the petitioner has all the qualifications required by, and none of the
disqualifications specified in this Act and has complied with all requisites herein
established, it shall order the proper naturalization certificate to be issued and the
registration of the said naturalization certificate in the proper civil registry as
required in section ten of Act Numbered Three thousand seven hundred and fifty-
three.12
Section 11. Appeal.—The final sentence may, at the instance of either of the
parties, be appealed to the Supreme Court.13
Before the naturalization certificate is issued, the petitioner shall, in open court,
take the following oath:
"I, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , solemnly swear that I renounce
absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate,
state or sovereignty, and particularly to the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of which at this
time I am a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution of the
Philippines and that I will obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by
the duly constituted authorities of the Commonwealth15 of the Philippines; [and I
hereby declare that I recognize and accept the supreme authority of the United
States of America in the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance
thereto;16 and that I impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental
reservation or purpose of evasion.
Section 13. Record books.—The clerk of the court shall keep two books; one in
which the petition and declarations of intention shall be recorded in chronological
order, noting all proceedings thereof from the filing of the petition to the final
issuance of the naturalization certificate; and another, which shall be a record of
naturalization certificates each page of which shall have a duplicate which shall be
duly attested by the clerk of the court and delivered to the petitioner.
Section 14. Fees.—The clerk of the Court of First Instance shall charge as fees for
recording a petition for naturalization and for the proceedings in connection
therewith, including the issuance of the certificate, the sum of thirty pesos.
The Clerk of the Supreme Court17 shall collect for each appeal and for the services
rendered by him in connection therewith, the sum of twenty-four pesos.
Section 15. Effect of the naturalization on wife and children.—Any woman who is
now or may hereafter be married to a citizen of the Philippines, and who might
herself be lawfully naturalized shall be deemed a citizen of the Philippines.
Minor children of persons naturalized under this law who have been born in the
Philippines shall be considered citizens thereof.
Section 19. Penalties for violation of this Act.—Any person who shall fraudulently
make, falsify, forge, change, alter, or cause or aid any person to do the same, or
who shall purposely aid and assist in falsely making, forging, falsifying, changing
or altering a naturalization certificate for the purpose of making use thereof, or in
order that the same may be used by another person or persons, and any person who
shall purposely aid and assist another in obtaining a naturalization certificate in
violation of the provisions of this Act, shall be punished by a fine of not more than
five thousand pesos or by imprisonment for not more than five years, or both, and
in the case that the person convicted is a naturalized citizen his certificate of
naturalization and the registration of the same in the proper civil registry shall be
ordered cancelled.
Section 21. Regulation and blanks.—The Secretary of Justice shall issue the
necessary regulations for the proper enforcement of this Act. Naturalization
certificate blanks and other blanks required for carrying out the provisions of this
Act shall be prepared and furnished by the Solicitor-General, subject to the
approval of the Secretary of Justice.