The Province of Albay

Albay, Philippines, about 538 kilometers southeast of Manila, is one of the provinces in the Bicol Region that is rich in natural resources, and is home to the spectacular Mayon Volcano. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province is bounded by the provinces of Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagunoy Gulf. Albay also takes pride of the beauty of its natures where one could appreciate the scenic of the clear waterfalls, meandering rivers, spectacular ancient cave network and lush underwater world.

Albay has an approximate land area of 2,552.6 square kilometers, which makes it the 26th smallest province in the Philippines. It has four main islands and these are: Rapu-Rapu and Batan, both of the municipality of Rapu-Rapu; Cagraray of the municipality of Bacacay, however, with small area as part of Malilipot, and San Miguel, of Tabaco City. Lagunoy Gulf borders the province to the northeast, separating it from the province of Catanduanes.

The province is comprised of the three cities and fifteen municipalities, first congressional district: municipalities of Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, Bacacay, Sto. Domingo, and the City of Tabaco; second congressional district: municipalities of Rapu-Rapu, Daraga, Camalig, Manito, and Legazpi City; third congressional district: municipalities of Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Oas, Pio Duran, Polangui, and Ligao City.

Languages

The people of Albay are called Albayanos. Bicol is the primary language they speak. However, almost all of the municipalities have their own dialects. These are the Bicolano Viejo, Legazpeño, Daragueño, or Albayanon, Polangueño, Oasnon and others. Mostly of the dialects spoken in the coastal areas in Albay are similar to that spoken in Camarines Sur. Majority of the inhabitants also understand Tagalog and English.

History

Long before westerners arrived at the region, the Bicolanos (the people) already has the culture of their own. The Bicol Region was known as Ibalon, which some writers claimed to have been named possibly after their chieftain-DATU GAT ABAAL, who ruled the inhabited territories from his seat of power at Sawangan on the mouth of Makabalo River, when Juan de Salcedo and his soldiers explored it in 1573. Sawangan, a small settlement by a mangrove swamp, became a town called Albaybay in 1616. The town was first renamed Albay, then Legazpi, as Albay went on to refer to the province.

In 1846, the three islands of Masbate, Ticao, and Burias were separated from Albay. The islands were separated to form the comandancia of Masbate. Albay was then divided into four districts: Iraya, Cordillera or Tobaco, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes. In 1894 and in 1945, Sorsogon and Catanduanes, respectively, were separated from Albay and became separate and independent provinces. The province of Albay was created on March 10, 1917.

In 1570, Spain Christianized the Ibalon locals. The Christianization took place when the group of Legazpi Urdaneta expeditionary force headed by Augustinian friars Fr. Alonzo Jimenez and Fr. Juan Orca landed at the southwestern coast of the western peninsula. The group named the southern part of the place as “TIERRA DE IBALON” and the northern part, “TIERRA DE CAMARINES”.

In 1663, Spanish authorities issued as decree renaming Partido de Ibalon, which comprises the eastern part of the peninsula, as Albay.

Sorsogon used to be part of Albay. However, in 1894, by virtue of a decree, Sorsogon became a province.While Sorsogon was created a separate province, Masbate, in 1908, by virtue of an executive order was made a sub-province of Albay by the American Civil Government. It was October 26, 1945 that Masbate became an independent province by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 687.

Economy

Agriculture is the main industry in Albay. Albay’s main agricultural products are coconut, rice, sugar, and abacá. Handicraft is one of the major sources of income of families in the rural areas. Other sources of livelihood in Albay are the forestry, papermaking, manufacturing of abacá products such as hats, wall decors, bags, mats, and slippers, and fishing for those residing along the coastal areas. The presence of Mayon Volcano draws income for Albay. Because of Mayon Volcano, particularly during its eruption, more tourists visited the province, thereby creating business opportunities to the residents.

Albay has its sea and air ports which give additional income to the government and to its people. The sea ports are the Tabaco City International, Legazpi City National, Pio Duran Provincial, and the Pantao Regional Port. For its airport, it is only in Legazpi City where domestic planes land. Legazpi domestic airport serves as Bicol's gateway to Manila and the Visayas.

Collaborating with Multicultural Students and their Family

Since parenting is imperative in molding the personality of the children, then it would be of good idea to engage families in children's learning in school. The schools, at the same time, must develop and guide children in a manner compatible with local approaches to parental and school authority relations. In addition thereto, school curriculum should, in a way, geared towards local knowledge and ways of learning. This is because each locality has its own diversity and culture to be adopted. A general approach on curriculum may not be effective as it may not be suitable in one locality. Curriculum must be locally based approach in order to lessen different types of diversities.

It is a great challenge if collaboration is done among students, their educators and their families. Let us take note that many students, particularly those young adults discourage parents from personal involvement in school as they would rather show to the world that they are grown up and could live independently. However, said collaboration can help the students, educators and the students’ families in navigating for more learning.

Another kind of diversity in some school involves students whose mother or father is a military personnel. These students find difficulty due to parents’ transfer from one place to another, thus facing repeated struggles settling in to new schools and communities. Due to transfer from one place of assignment to another, students face regular disruption of their homes. More problems ranging from the effect of parents’ absences to lack of parents’ guidance arise when either or both parents are posted to a distant place.

The Problems of Diversity

Diversity is a responsibility to be acquainted with and understand the variety of characteristics of individuals that make them unique in a pluralistic democratic society. These characteristics referred to are: age, religion, cognitive style; culture; mental and physical disability, economic background, education; ethnicity; gender identity, race, geographic background, language, physical appearance, political affiliation, beliefs, and sexual orientation. It includes the difference between cultural groups.

Authorities argue that one way people in a nation could live harmoniously is to understand individual differences. People have to appreciate others by understanding their individual cultures. But the problem lies on the time needed to understand others’ cultural roots. Much to their desire to understand others’ culture, time for them is of the essence for survival. Another factor for consideration on factionalism is people’s religious belief. People tend to interpret God’s laws according to their individual desire and understanding. Others refuse to accept the truth but instead go for their own ways.

Because of top to bottom management approach, thereby having no consultation with parents and teachers, school curriculum becomes a problem. Complaints arise because sometimes school officials are at a loss for having no idea of how they should be responding some issues.

These and such other problems on diversity could be solved by way of building a bridge for educational institutions that would promote diversity between and among students, teachers and the society they live in.

Getting Off to a Good Start

Starting the school year with an atmosphere conducive to learning is a good concern that school authorities should give priority. The more efforts should be exerted in making a good atmosphere in learning particularly with students of culturally diverse and low-income settings. Noticeably, during the early days of the first year of students in school, students would almost want their parents to be with them. Students want parents to sit side by side with them. Students need more time to adjust to be more or less independent in the classroom. But while in the process, an orientation has to be made in order to lessen the anxiety of new students, and on the part of the parents, they could be assured of the safety and learning of their children, thereby allowing them to settle into their new school community successfully. The orientation should lead to students' adjustment that would redound to an adoption of a new environment. It must lead to improvement. And improvement should be evidenced by their ability to make friends and their interest in class discussion and activities.

Teachers must be able to reach out new students to nurture and guide them. This could be done by assigning them a classmate who could help them adjust to a new environment. Meanwhile, school counselors may help parents of new students to acquire parenting skills.

The content of curriculum is so vital in the learning process. It is therefore imperative that the processes by which students and teachers engage must be made accessible and inviting to everyone. As much as possible, curriculum should be rigorous, integrated, and multicultural curriculum.

School must take family and community engagement a step towards students’ acceptance of the new environment. There must be a concerted effort between and among parents and teachers to reach out an activity that would lead to showcase in which students share their stories on such issues as local environment, career development, and educational options. In this way, family and community members present in the activity not only learn from the students, but are empowered to give feedback.

In conclusion, it is imperative that school authorities should be able to reach out actively and persistently to their diverse students and their families, rather than waiting for nothing because parents are not involved that plagues multicultural and low-income contexts. Moreover, school should be innovative in connecting with the students and families because in doing so, students would learn more as they have more mentors whom to interact – the teachers, the parents, and the community. Students felt acceptance in and out of the school.

Clearly, it is imperative for schools to collaborate effectively with multicultural, no matter how high or low is the standing of the students and their families in the society, particularly when the students are at their early stage of learning.

Multiculture Education

Multicultural education is an imperative approach that educators nowadays should understand and appreciate for it is an approach to school reform. It is a progressive move towards equity, social justice, and democracy. In it, there would be understanding of the different components of cultural groups. Understanding multicultural education is aiming towards school restructuring in terms of students acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and abilities needed to function in an ethnically and racially diverse country. Multicultural education is aimed to guarantee educational equity for members of diverse racial, religious beliefs, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic groups.

In multicultural education, teachers should be given the opportunity to develop themselves by way of introducing them in a program which would help them understand the complexity of the characteristics of the different groups within the society and the ways in which race, ethnicity, language, and social class interact to influence student behavior.

Schools based management should be anchored on assurance that all students be given the equitable opportunities for learning of the different cultures in the society. In preparation of the school curriculum, students should be guided in understanding and appreciating that social construction is knowledge and that it really reflects the social, political and economic framework of the society. Students’ participation in school activities that would redound to their personal development, thereby acquiring knowledge, skills, and abilities, should be assured. Students’ participation in school activities fosters a positive personal relationship between and among fellow students.

Intergroup relationship in schools should be encouraged. Students will be able to understand the inner attitude of individuals as time goes on. Adjustment and acceptance will follow. They will learn related biases that have negative effects in intergroup relations. Negative effects may lead to mistakes. But mistake may be taken to serve as mirror for positive approach. Students will be able to learn about the values shared by virtually all members of the groups such as but not limited to justice, equality, freedom, peace, compassion, and charity.

Faculty development is a must in order that teachers should be able to help students acquire the social skills needed to interact effectively with students from other groups.

Diversity in schools poses as an opportunity and a challenge. The Philippine is enriched by the different school diversities. However, noticeably, whenever diverse groups meet and interact, different opinions are shared that sometimes discrimination is evident. Since schools is the place where first formal learning is acquired and where students’ personalities are also mold, school authorities must find ways for their students to learn to respect the diversity of as well as help to create a unified nation to which all of its citizens have allegiance.

Multicultural Education Approach

The rich diversity of the society nowadays is clearly evident in many schools. It is not enough that some of our school children be educated. School educators and the society they serve must work for all and must reflect the cultures of the communities. Multicultural education is an idea which has reached its time. The society we live is a society of mix-culture. Conflicts arise due to lack of understanding of other’s culture, ethnicity, social class, and beliefs.

The imbalance of power between the dominant and the dominated cultures has created years of arm conflicts, aggression, and resistance. The case of Christian-Muslim conflict in the Philippines is a typical example of imbalance in cultures’ appreciation. It is the lack of understanding of other cultures that weakens the society. The practice of multicultural education is but one of the many answers for peace. Approaches to multicultural education need to be given emphasis in searching for answer for cultural diversities.

Understanding the concept of human relations would certainly help students understand the commonalties of people through understanding of their social and cultural differences. Knowing the different cultures raise the academic achievement of students of color through culturally relevant instruction. The introduction of multicultural education in educational system is also a response to the need of addressing the various learning needs of such a cultural diversities thereby leading to the transformation that would really reflect the ideals of democracy in a pluralistic society.

Multiculturalism in Education

In all school level, it is imperative that students be given the chance of equal educational opportunities that would free them from multicultural diversity such as diverse racial, ageism, ethnic, social-class and cultural groups. It must be noted that multicultural education is aimed to create equal educational opportunities for students from these groups. And one of its important goals is to help students acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society. With this type of education, students would be able to interact and communicate with other people from diverse groups in order to create a civic and moral community that works for the common good.

There are schools whose diversity in race, ethnicity, language, religion, and national origin increased. And this of course poses challenges to teachers. Teachers would be facing difficulties in the teaching process with different students of different diversities. What teachers should do is to update themselves educationally on multicultural education. A faculty development is imperative. There should be efforts for teachers to develop a broader awareness of issues affecting diverse learners. One approach that may be introduced is to strategize an interdisciplinary approach in assessing the skills and abilities of the teachers in dealing with diverse learners.

Multicultural Education Introduction

The issue of multicultural education in the Philippine is of paramount importance. This is because of the different culture in the world and learners tend to like studying from one place to another. Nowadays, diversity becomes progressively more reflected in the schools. Poverty is also becoming an increasingly important issue that affects quality of education. Rich students would rather prefer to an exclusive private schools while the poor would rather stay at public school. Admittedly, generally, Philippine public school lacks the necessary technology tools to enhance the skills and ability of their students. More so, these students lack the necessary foods for themselves. Students with empty stomach will certainly learn not much.

These demographic, social, and economic and such other trends have vital implications for education. Multicultural education is intended to decrease religion, race, class, and gender divisions by helping all students attain the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need in order to become productive citizens in a democratic society and participate in social change. It is imperative that teachers be knowledgeable on how to be familiar with, respect, and incorporate the personal abilities of students into their teaching strategies. Teachers must be familiar with what is multi-culture in education. If this is done properly, then school expects the best of achievement.

Making Students Feel Comfortable At School

As others would put it, first impression is lasting. It is therefore imperative that either on the part of the teacher or the student to create a good school atmosphere at the beginning of the school year. With such a kind of environment, both parties would be of positive start and encouragement creates a center of attention.

For teachers, to give students the impression at the start of the school that their teacher is a terror makes no good. Students tend to create an atmosphere of fear and dislike. This would make them discourage from attending the class. At all times, teacher, from the very start, should encourage students to study hard and one way to do this is to highlight positive examples.

But how? It is of the essence that students be given the opportunity to share his part. Let them be a part of discussion process such as those in policy process in the classroom or of their daily learning. To further encourage students, it is also important that parents must be involved. Students should be given the impression that parents are parts of their learning process. Parents must play vital roles in the students’ school learning. This may be done by way of organizing the parent-teacher association. In this group, parents should be guided by the teachers of the lessons that may be taught of as a matter of following up.

TheTeaching Schedule of Public School Teacher

The Clearing Point

R. CHAM G. ZUÑIGA VI, MLGM, Ph.D.

THE TEACHING SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

With the ruling of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), public school teachers in the Philippines can breathe a sigh of relief for the CSC had ruled that the two hours of service, in addition to the six hours of actual classroom teaching, may be rendered even within or outside school premises.

Some public school teachers may not be aware of the fact that the Civil Service Commission is out with CSC Resolution No. 080096. While public school teachers were to abide by the maximum six-hour actual classroom teaching pursuant to Republic Act 4670 otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, however, as a general rule, they are, as government employees, not exempted from the mandate to render eight hours a day service as provided for under Republic Act 1880, otherwise known as An Act To Amend The Second Paragraph Of Section Five Hundred And Sixty-Two And Section Five Hundred And Sixty-Four Of The Revised Administrative Code.

Republic Act 1880 provides, among others, that “such hours, except for schools, courts, hospitals and health clinics or where the exigencies of service so require, shall be as prescribed in the Civil Service Rules and as otherwise from time to time disposed in temporary executive orders in the discretion of the President of the Philippines but shall be eight (8) hours a day, for five (5) days a week or a total of forty (40) hours a week, exclusive of time for lunch: Provided, That any employee or laborer now in the employment of the government who shall suffer a reduction of his weekly or daily wage or compensation because of a reduction of the number of days or hours of labor in a week, as provided by this section, subject to the minimum daily or hourly wage or compensation or pay per piece already fixed under Republic Act Numbered Six hundred and two, shall be given an automatic increase in his daily or hourly wage or compensation or in the rate per piece, whose amount in a week or a day or per piece shall be equal to the diminution which his daily or hourly or per piece wage or compensation at the time this Act went into effect shall suffer on account of the reduction of days or labor to five days a week: And provided, further, That the salaries of employees received on monthly basis shall not suffer any diminution on account of the reduction of the number of days of labor a week."

The above-cited CSC resolution was the upshot of the inquiry of Department of Education for a re-examination of the Commission's guidelines with regard to teachers' working hours. The re-examination of the teacher’s working hours came after several public school teachers complained that they were required by their superiors to be within school premises for straight eight hours, otherwise a corresponding salary deductions were made due to undertime when they fall below the requirement.

The CSC clarified that public school teachers are not actually exempt from the eight hours of work provided for in Republic Act 1880. What is limited to six hours as provided for in Republic Act 4670 is only the work hours devoted to actual classroom teaching.

We have to understand that the nature of work of school teachers is so different from that of other government employees. The six-hour mandatory teaching requirement is already distressing due to heavy teaching load, over-crowded classroom, non-conducive faculty or study rooms, and such other problems that may lead to exhaustion and low morale. Teachers have to stand up most of the time attending to their students while in the classroom, while non-teachers may spend the 8 hours setting. Teachers are easily notice by students, peers or the community if they are not doing their homework, while non-teachers may pretend to be doing something when in fact they are doing nothing. And yet, compare the salaries that both teachers and non-teachers employees received.

As a matter of fact, the flight of the teachers has to be understood for they even render more than eight working hours a day. The two hours are not even enough for the preparation of the lesson plans, school exercises, and participation in school and community-based activities. Teachers should, therefore be allowed to continue the two hours left either in the classroom or elsewhere where they could do their homework.

(for feedback, the author may be reached at chamzun@gmail.com)

The Philippine Flag

The Clearing Point

R. CHAM G. ZUÑIGA VI, Ll.B., MLGM, Ph.D.

The Philippine Flag

It is school opening again, and certainly, students have to line up for the flag raising ceremony in the early hour of the school days.

This writer has serialized the information about the Philippine Flag. May readers find them interesting and educational.

Our law on the Philippine Flag mandates that reverence and respect shall at all times be accorded to our national flag, the anthem, and other national symbols which embody the national ideals and traditions and which express the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity. It also provides that heraldic items and devices shall seek to manifest the national virtues and to inculcate in the minds and hearts of our people a just pride in their native land, fitting respect and affection for the national flag and anthem, and the proper use of the national motto, coat-of-arms and other heraldic items and devices.

But how many of us know our national motto? How about the coat-of-arms? What are this heraldic items and devices mentioned in our Flag and Heraldic Code?

Our Flag and Heraldic Code provides that the National Motto shall be "MAKA-DIYOS, MAKA-TAO, MAKAKALIKASAN AT MAKABANSA." And the National Coat-of-Arms shall have: Paleways of two (2) pieces, azure and gules; a chief argent studded with three (3) mullets equidistant from each other; and, in point of honor, ovoid argent over all the sun rayonnant with eight minor and lesser rays. Beneath shall be the scroll with the words "REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS," inscribed thereon.

On the heraldic items and devices, government entity, including the military, are allowed to adopt appropriate coat-of-arms, administrative seals, logo, insignia, badges, patches, and banners; and initiate awards, citations, orders or decorations. This is of course with authority of the Congress or by the Office of the President.

The above-mentioned code provides that the Pledge of Allegiance to the Philippine flag shall be the following:

Ako ay Pilipino
Buong katapatang nanunumpa
Sa watawat ng Pilipinas
At sa bansang kanyang sinasagisag
Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan
Na pinakikilos ng sambayanang
Maka-Diyos
Maka-tao
Makakalikasan at
Makabansa.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Such pledge shall be recited while standing with the right hand with palm open raised shoulder high. Individuals whose faith or religious beliefs prohibit them from making such pledge must nonetheless show full respect when the pledge is being rendered by standing at attention.

- o 0 o -

Do you know that ……………….

… our national flag is a rectangular with its maximum length twice its width or its minimum length twice the altitude of the equilateral triangle?

… the white field of our national flag is an equilateral triangle, each side of which is equal to the width of the flag?

… the width of the red and blue stripes of our national flag shall each be one-half the width of the flag?

(for feedback, the author may be reached at mailto:chamzun@yahoo.com

The Philippine Citizenship [Part I]

The Clearing Point

R. CHAM G. ZUÑIGA VI, LL.B., MLGM, Ph.D.

The Philippine Citizenship

This article is presented in series. It is hope that it would guide readers on the concept of Philippine citizenship. This is Part I of the series.

In the case of Fornier versus COMELEC and Ronald Allan Kelly Poe, also known as Fernando Poe Jr., docketed as G. R. No. 161824 and promulgated on March 3, 2004, the Supreme Court of the Philippines pointed out that “citizenship is a treasured right conferred on those whom the state believes are deserving of the privilege. It is a precious heritage, as well as an inestimable acquisition, that cannot be taken lightly by anyone - either by those who enjoy it or by those who dispute it.”

Greek philosopher Aristotle, in the book entitled The Principle of Politics (1946), as edited and translated by Ernest Larker, “gave the earliest concept of citizenship sometime in 384 to 322 B.C. when he described the “citizen” as “a man who shared in the administration of justice and in the holding of an office.” In other words, he defines citizenship as he who has the power to take part in the deliberative or judicial administration of any state. However, he saw significance of it to determine the constituency of the “State”, which he described as “being composed of such persons who would be adequate in number to achieve a self-sufficient existence.”

In the book, The Conditions of Citizenship, (1994) [as edited by Bart Van Steenbergen, Sage Publications, London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi], Aristotle’s concept of citizenship was expanded to include “one who would both govern and be governed, for which qualifications like autonomy, judgment and loyalty could be expected. Citizenship was seen to deal with rights and entitlements, on the one hand, and with concomitant obligations, on the other.”

The concept of citizenship has three main elements. Citizenship as legal status is defined by civil, political and social rights. Under this element, the citizen is the legal person free to act according to the law and have the right to claims with the protection of the law. It need not mean that the citizen takes part in the law's formulation, nor does it require that rights be uniform between citizens. Citizenship as as political agents defined by actively participating in a society's political institutions. Citizenship as membership in a political community that furnishes a distinct source of identity.

The concept of citizenship had undergone several changes. In the 18^th century, the concept of citizenship was confined to civil citizenship. Under this concept, rights necessary for individual freedom were established. These rights refer to rights to property, personal liberty and justice.

In the 19^th century, the same concept was expanded to include political rights. And in the 20^th century, another expansion of the concept was made to include social citizenship.

What is social citizenship? This is the citizenship of an individual, which recognizes the right of the citizen to economic well-being and social security.

History books gave us the impression that Jose P. Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and other inhabitants of the Philippines who fought against the Spanish government for the independence of the Philippines were citizens of the Philippines. Hence, they were Filipinos. The question is: Were they really citizens of the Philippines? To find the answer, let us take a deeper analysis of the historical events in the Philippines and decision of the Supreme Court.

The Spaniards executed Jose Rizal on December 30, 1898. The mediation that Andres Bonifacio did because of the misunderstanding among those who fight against the Spanish government was rebuffed by the clannish middle class of Cavite as divisive and harmful to unity. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the elected president of the provisional revolutionary government, ordered the arrest, trial, and execution for "treason and sedition" of Bonifacio and his brothers. On May 10, 1897, Bonifacio was executed. Both of them died fighting for the freedom of the Philippines. They have given up their lives in the hope that the Philippines would be free from tyranny. They died before the Spain ceded to the United States their authorities over the Philippines.

(for feedback, the author may be reached at chamzun@gmail.com)

The Philippine Citizenship [Part III]

The Philippine Citizenship

The year 1898 was considered the turning point in history on the Spanish ruling over the Philippines. At this time, the power of Spain declined. She was forced to give up to the clout of the United States.

The United States in April 25, 1898 declared were against Spain. To end the six-month hostilities between Spain and the United States, a treaty was entered into. The treaty was signed on December 10, 1898 and Spain was forced to yield the possession of the Philippines, along with Puerto Rico, Guam and Cuba, to the United States.

This treaty was known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Under the treaty, the –

“Spanish subjects, natives of the Peninsula, residing in the territory over which Spain by the present treaty relinquishes or cedes her sovereignty may remain in such territory or may remove therefrom, retaining in either event all their rights of property, including the right to sell or dispose of such property or of its proceeds; and they shall also have the right to carry on their industry, commerce, and professions, being subject in respect thereof to such laws as are applicable to foreigners. In case they remain in the territory they may preserve their allegiance to the Crown of Spain by making, before a court of record, within a year from the date of the exchange of ratifications of this treaty, a declaration of their decision to preserve such allegiance; in default of which declaration they shall be held to have renounced it and to have adopted the nationality of the territory in which they reside.”

Under the Treaty of Paris, both native and Spanish subjects who did not exercise their option to leave the Philippines, but remained in the country and adopted the nationality of the Philippines were considered citizens of the Philippines. However, those Spanish subjects who remained in the Philippines and declared before a court of record their intention to preserve their allegiance to Spain within a year and a half from the date of ratification of the treaty retained their Spanish nationality

Upon the ratification of the treaty on April 11, 1900, the civil rights and political status of the native inhabitants of the Philippines were yielded to the United States thereby ceasing them also to be Spanish subjects. But ceding to the United States did not mean becoming American citizens.

For the first time in the Philippine history, the term "citizens of the Philippine Islands" appeared in the Philippine Bill of 1902, thereafter known as the Philippine Organic Act of 1902. Part of which provides –

".... that all inhabitants of the Philippine Islands continuing to reside therein, who were Spanish subjects on the 11th day of April, 1891, and then resided in said Islands, and their children born subsequent thereto, shall be deemed and held to be citizens of the Philippine Islands and as such entitled to the protection of the United States, except such as shall have elected to preserve their allegiance to the Crown of Spain in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain, signed at Paris, December tenth eighteen hundred and ninety eight."

Under the said Act, to be considered a “citizen of the Philippines”, one must be an inhabitant of the Philippines, and a Spanish subject on the 11^th day of April 1899. An inhabitant refers to one that is a native-born inhabitant, an inhabitant who was a native of Peninsular Spain, and an inhabitant who obtained Spanish papers on or before 11 April 1899.

How about those children who were born in the Philippines from 11 April 1899 to 01 July 1902? How are they considered in terms of citizenship? It should be noted that during these period no citizenship law existed in the Philippines.

(for feedback, the author may be reached at chamzun@gmail.com)