Understanding Active Citizenship

• This lesson is about active citizenship
• By the end of the lesson, students should be able to explain the concept and principles of citizenship and determine the importance of active citizenship

Origin of Citizenship

• The concept of citizenship originated in Classical Greece
• A polis refers to a society with a single goal
• Being a citizen was a privilege
• Citizens had privileges with corresponding duties
• Citizens were expected to participate in polis activities and think about the welfare of their state

Definition of Citizenship

• Citizenship is a state or status of being a member of a community, state, country, or the entire world
• According to Murray Clark Havens in 1981, citizenship is the relationship of an individual and the state and an individual has responsibilities and rights as a citizen
• Citizenship is also a contract between the state and the citizen with both sides having rights and obligations to protect each other

Statuses of Citizenship

• Individuals can be stateless (without citizenship), have one citizenship, dual citizenship, or multiple citizenships

1987 Philippine Constitution, Article 4

• Articulo 4 is part of the 1987 Constitution and contains the rules on how a person is considered a citizen of the Philippines

Who are considered Filipinos?

• Those who are citizens of the Philippines when the law was enacted
• Those whose mothers or fathers are citizens of the Philippines
• Those born before January 17, 1973, to a Filipino mother and who chose Filipino citizenship upon reaching the age of majority
• Those who became citizens according to law
• A citizen of the Philippines who marries a foreigner remains Filipino unless they choose to follow the citizenship of their spouse

Types of Citizens

• Natural-born citizens are those whose parents are Filipino
• Naturalized citizens were formerly foreigners who became Filipino through naturalization

Principles of Citizenship

• Jus sanguinis: citizenship is based on blood or the citizenship of parents
• Jus soli: citizenship is based on the place of birth

Loss of Citizenship

• Citizenship may be lost through naturalization, oath of allegiance to the Constitution of another country, desertion of the armed forces during wartime, and cancellation of naturalization

Requirements for Naturalization

• To become a naturalized Filipino, an alien must be 21 years old
• They must have resided in the Philippines continuously for 10 years, which may be reduced to 5 years if they were born in the Philippines, married a Filipino, taught in a private or public school for two years, or established a new industry or made a useful invention in the Philippines
• The applicant must be of good moral character, believe in the Philippine Constitution
• They must have a stable source of income and property in the Philippines, be able to speak and write Filipino, and accept Filipino culture

Republic Act No. 9225

• Also known as the "Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2003"
• Former Filipino citizens who became citizens of another country through naturalization can regain their Filipino citizenship
• They will have dual citizenship as a result

Core Values of Citizenship

• Maka-Diyos (for God)
• Maka-Tao (for the People)
• Makakalikasan (for the Environment)
• Makabansa (for the Nation)