Philippine Citizenship and Governance

• The study notes will focus on citizenship, its evolution, and the importance of citizen participation in governance

Citizenship and its Significance

• Understanding the concept of active citizenship is important for national progress and the well-being of citizens

Legal and Expanded Concepts of Citizenship

• The concept of citizenship dates back to ancient Greece, where city-states called "polis" consisted of citizens, primarily men, with rights and responsibilities
• Over time, the concept evolved, and citizenship is now viewed as an individual's legal status in a nation-state, as defined by Murray Clark Havens (1981)

Legal Perspective in the Philippines

• In the Philippines, the Constitution outlines who are considered citizens, along with their rights and duties

Article IV of the Constitution on Citizenship

• Section 1 specifies who are citizens of the Philippines: those at the time of the Constitution's adoption; those with Filipino parents; those born before January 17, 1973, with Filipino mothers who choose Filipino citizenship; and those naturalized by law.

Natural-born Citizens

• Section 2 defines natural-born citizens as those who are Filipino from birth without needing to perform any act to perfect their Philippine citizenship.

Dual Allegiance

• Section 5 states that dual allegiance is against national interest and should be dealt with by law.

Losing Citizenship

• An individual can lose citizenship by naturalization in another country, swearing allegiance to another country's constitution, deserting the armed forces during wartime, or through the loss of naturalization validity

Principles of Citizenship

• Jus sanguinis: Citizenship is based on the citizenship of one's parents, followed in the Philippines
• Jus soli or jus loci: Citizenship is based on the place of birth, used in America

Expanded View of Citizenship

• Citizenship is not only a status in society but also a bond for the betterment of their society
• It relies on fulfilling duties to society and using rights for the common good

Active Participation

• A citizen should actively participate in addressing societal issues and improving the situation
• Citizens assert their rights for the good of the country and use legal means to voice concerns

Qualities of a Good Citizen

• According to Yeban (2004), a responsible citizen should be patriotic, loving, respectful of human rights, appreciative of heroes, knowledgeable of their rights and duties, self-disciplined, and critically and creatively minded

Actions to Help the Country

• Alex Lacson suggested twelve actions such as following traffic rules, asking for receipts, buying local products, speaking positively about the country, respecting law enforcers, proper waste disposal, supporting one's church, honest elections, good work ethic, paying taxes, helping the less fortunate, and being good parents who teach love for the country

Historical Evolution and Human Rights

• Emphasizes the importance of upholding citizen rights as an essential aspect of citizenship, empowering citizens to actively participate in society
• Highlights the historical rights of every individual as key for active citizenship

Historical Development of Human Rights

• 539 B.C.E.: Cyrus the Great freed slaves and declared religious freedom and racial equality, documented on the Cyrus Cylinder
• Other ancient civilizations like India, Greece, and Rome held views about human rights
• Religions in Asia such as Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam introduced codes of morality and human dignity

Magna Carta

• 1215: King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta, protecting rights and limiting the king's power

Petition of Right

• 1628: England's Petition of Right included rights such as no taxation without Parliament consent and protection from unlawful imprisonment

United States Bill of Rights

• 1787: The United States Congress approved their nation's Constitution with the Bill of Rights, protecting human rights

Geneva Convention

• 1864: The First Geneva Convention was established to care for wounded and sick soldiers without discrimination

Declaration of the Rights of Man

• 1789: The French Revolution led to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

UDHR

• 1948: The United Nations established the Human Rights Commission, which created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

• The UDHR's Preamble and Article 1 state the natural rights of all people, including equality and freedom
• Articles 3 to 21 cover civil and political rights, Articles 22 to 27 detail economic, social, and cultural rights, and Articles 28 to 30 address the duty to uphold others' rights

Influence of the UDHR

• The content of the UDHR has a strong connection to everyday life and has become helpful for peace

Importance of the UDHR in the Philippines

• The Philippine government values human dignity and rights, per Section 11 of Article II of the 1987 Constitution which supports the full respect of human rights as highlighted in the Bill of Rights (Sections 1-22 of Article III).

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• It emphasizes its significance as a document outlining every individual’s human rights in every aspect of life
• Includes civil, political, economic, social, and cultural aspects

Origin and Mandate

• Resulted from the emphasis of countries in the UN to ensure that human rights are shared and implemented in all countries
• Served as an agenda for the UN General Assembly in 1946
• Was created with Eleanor Roosevelt as head of the UN Human Rights Commission, with the aim to list basic rights and create the UDHR

Core Principles

• Accepted by UN General Assembly in 1948 and called “International Magna Carta for all Mankind”
• Combined all human rights in a single document and served as basis for democratic countries to form their own constitutions

Bill of Rights

• It is a list of consolidated rights of every person, consisting both of old constitutional rights and new rights of individuals
• It ensures basic democracy

Rights

• Natural rights: Held by every person despite the laws of the State
• Constitutional rights: Granted and protected by the State
• Statutory rights: Conferred by law, can be removed by subsequent legislation

Citizen's Role in a Democratic Society

• Stresses that citizens in a republic and democratic state have the full power, and any authority stems from these citizens
• As such, citizens should take part in discussion with governors in order for challenges to be overcome

Qualified Voters

• Citizen of the Philippines, not disqualified by law, 18 years old and above, resident of the Philippines for at least one year and in the place they intend to vote for at least six months before the election

Disqualified Voters

• Those sentenced to imprisonment for at least one year (can vote again after five years), those convicted of rebellion (can vote again after five years), and those declared by experts as insane

Voting

• Every vote matters and carries the weight of a change in the lives of Filipinos

Civil Society

• A sector of society separate from the state, involving protests, social movements, and NGOs/POs
• Aims to influence policies and ensure accountability and transparency from the state

NGOs and POs

• Serve as government partners in decision-making
• Constitution recognizes its value in promoting development

Civil Society Composition

• Includes protest movements and voluntary organizations which can be Grassroots organizations/ People's Organizations (POs) or Grassroot support organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Contributions of NGOs

• Promotes livelihood and facilitates training and research to raise awareness to communities

Good Governance

• Good Governance means all forms of political involvement such as elections, part of society has aim for good governance
• Good governance is relationship interaction of government and civil society to ensure sustainability

Good Governance Requirement by International Organizations

• Mandates financial accountability (World Bank) and transparency which involves active and responsible participation in the plans to provide good well-being

Ensuring Good Governance

• It is maintained by stakeholders making sure there are ethical, transparent and accountable actions in place
• All members are able to be honest and not corrupt

Governance Ideals

• All people should act responsibly
• Stakeholders must act responsibly