DESK REVIEW ON POPULATIONS AT RISK OF STATELESSNESS Recognition Relevant Laws Bureau of Immigration’s Law Instruction No. RBR-99002 Competent Authority Bureau of Immigration – Order of Recognition Existing Rules Any child born of a Filipino parent may be recognized as a Filipino citizen, by submission of appropriate documentation Department of Justice – Confirmation by Secretary of Justice Citizenship Acquisition Under Article IV Section 1(4) of the 1987 Constitution, “[t]hose who are naturalized in accordance with law” are citizens.67 There are three forms of naturalization under the law of the Philippines: administrative naturalization under Republic Act (RA) No. 9139, judicial naturalization under Commonwealth Act (CA) No. 473, and legislative naturalization through which Congress can enact a law bestowing Philippine citizenship (See, for example: Republic Act 10148, 12 March 2011 or Republic Act 10636, 11 June 2014 [conferring nationality on basketball players Marcus Doubhit and Andray Blatche respectively]). It is conceivable that a stateless person could be eligible for Administrative Naturalization already if they satisfy the criteria found in RA No. 9139. Alternatively, any stateless person could be eligible for judicial naturalization if they satisfy the criteria found in CA No. 473. Ad mi ni s tra t i v e J u d i ci a l Law Republic Act No. 9139 Commonwealth Act No. 473 Competent Authority Special Committee on Naturalization (three members): (1) Solicitor General (Chair); (2) Secretary of Foreign Affairs, or representative; and (3) National Security Adviser The Court of First Instance of the Province in which the Petitioner has resided at least 1 year immediately preceding filing (Presently known as the Regional Trial Court (RTC)) Eligibility A person born in the Philippines and residing in the Philippines since birth; who is at least 18 at the time of filing; who has received primary and secondary education in a recognized school; who is able to read, write and speak Filipino or any of the dialects of the Filipinos; who has mingled with Filipinos and evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions, and ideals; and who is of good moral character; with a known and lawful trade. Anyone 21 or over on the day of the hearing, who has resided in the Philippines for at least 10 years, of good moral character, with real estate or some known and lucrative trade; able to speak and write any of the principal Philippine languages; whose children are enrolled in a recognized school. The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, 1987, available at: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987constitution/. 67 26 UNHCR / April 2021