When I was complaining about the processing of my Dual Citizenship here, a lot of people asked me why I still want to be a Filipino Citizen when I already have the French. This surprised me a bit but it never entered my mind not to be a Filipino on paper. It was only when the Philippines passed the Citizen Retention & Re-acquisition Act of 2003, or RA 9925, that I applied for the French nationality. A country recognizing Dual Citizenship is a great privilege because there are only a few countries (website not updated) who do. Left, my Certificate of Oath of Allegiance & new Philippine passport after acquiring Dual Citizenship
But my complaining was abruptly stalled & I had a chance to do it in Manila. Apparently, with all the red tape & corruption I experienced, and simply the hassle of doing paperwork in the Philippines, I have to admit that the Philippine Embassy in Paris has improved by leaps & bounds in the paperwork department. Although I didn't inquire directly for the procedure in Manila, a friend informed me that she had to hire a lawyer & the processing will be at least 6 months. This turned me off & I have to be actually grateful I had an easier option here in France.
And so finally I was able to file my application in Paris & off we went for our oathtaking. On May 23, 2008, Hazel & I went together to be a Filipino on paper. Although I thought that it was unnecessary, reciting my Oath of Allegiance to my motherland was quite moving, in front of the Philippine flag, a portrait of GMA & all. Below, Oath taking with Hazel & with Consul Rosalita S. Prospero
Today, I just received my new Philippine passport *yay!* I still have the old, non-machine readable since the embassy is finishing their stock of old passports. Which is not bad because it is more than a passport to me. It's my proof of citizenship. And besides, I still get to smile & be beautiful in a passport photo. The guy in the photo shop couldn't believe that I can smile for a passport picture. So the trouble a smile can bring is yet to be discovered.
Another issue was when a Filipino friend with an Italian citizenship asked me how I ever lost my Philippine Nationality. Since the Philippines didn't recognize Dual Citizenship until 2003, Filipinos who acquired another nationality automatically lose their Filipino citizenship. It is here that we retain or re-acquire it. The procedure is relatively new & it will improve with more years. Hopefully in a few years, the RA 9225 won't be necessary at all. That we won't automatically lose our Filipino Citizenship. We are still fortunate to have an embassy with more experience on this.
The procedure is actually easy. As long as you have your official documents with you & you don't need to have it sent from Manila, it'll be a breeze. You can call the Philippine Embassy in your area & request for an RA 9225 Application Form which is sent by mail. Requirements are normally the following:
passport size photos, any proof of Philippine Citizenship (birth certificate, old passport, voter's ID, marriage certificate indicating Philippine Citizenship), foreign passport, certificate of naturalization & its official translation, proof of payment, marriage or report of marriage if married, oath of allegiance
Remember to only submit photocopies. The embassy might request original copies to be sent. If so, you will then be asked to write a letter to the Consul why you cannot send the originals. I know such a waste of time. You will be then given an appointment for your oath taking & voila! As usual, you will always need to follow up.
The Dual Citizenship is not for everybody, so grab it if you can. For me, being a pinoy by heart is not enough until you are on paper.
If there's one island more enchanting than the rest of the Philippines, it would be Palawan. It's like a distant paradise seemingly inaccessible but promises little corners of bliss. The Visayas area has been a more popular destination for local tourists because at first glance, Palawan is known for its luxurious islands off the mainland of El Nido. But it's a 650km tip to tip stretch, has the western & eastern side of the sea making it nature at its best. The only thing about that is it makes travelling inside the island an adventure. At very little time, we were only able to map out two towns on the western side of the archipelago: Port Barton & Sabang.The beach in the Underground River, Sabang
The rain had made the dirt road into sticky mud. All passengers had to go down & walk through the mud & of all the passengers, I was the most muddy making me more of a tourist than the lone French in the bus. A bit pissed off, I happily washed off in the rice paddies while my husband enjoys this spontaneous event. There were more patches of soft mud on the road but Jerry Boy, despite of sludge & close cliffs on the road, is the only way to Port Barton. This advenutre ride is worth 200php per head. All worth every cent. We arrived Ysabelle Resort, former Swissippini Lodge & Resort, at past 5pm. Port Barton mainland is a laid back beach, a little jewel after the roadtrip to reach it. With a lot of its surrounding islands, it is known for diving. Doris is the only dive shop in Port Barton. You can never miss Easy Dive (rates on website have changed, credit cards are not accepted). With the diving boat, we were offered to take an island tour. In one of the islands, you will find Blue Cove Resort, a charming paradise with fine white sand & clear waters. They also have a trail to the top of the island for an overview of Port Barton's surrounding islands. Be sure to bring some cash when you go on island hopping because you might discover good bars & restaurants like Blue Cove. The French couple we met in Blue Cove told us that it was the show Koh-lanta (the French Survivor reality show, this year they are again in the Philippines, Camaroan) that made them visit Palawan. It was more than they expected. Left, Port Barton Beach, below, Blue Cove Beach & the resort's bar & restaurant view from the sea
There are two ways to leave Port Barton to Sabang. By boat or by a hired van. Both costs 3000php minimum but negociable. The only problem with the boat is that you have to leave really early & with the hired van, it has to be arranged. There is a boat that comes from Sabang on a regular basis. If you can get the schedule, this would cost less than 500php a head. It's the same with the van. If you find other people with the same destination, you share the cost of the van. With a problem with communication, we were obliged to take the van (actually a Hillux pickup) at 3000php to Sabang. We tried to negociate & all we got was free entrance to the Underground river. It was a 4 hour fast & bumpy ride. Sabang is home to the Underground River. It is one of the most visited places in Palawan. The tour is organized from the boat ride at 250php to the entrance of 150php per head. If you're adventurous & have great endurance, you can reach the Underground River through the Monkey Trail (or Jungle Trail), a 2 hour trek in the jungle according to the Dutch tourists we met. You can see wild monkeys on the way too. I liked the tour on the Underground River especially our banca chauffer who cracked more jokes than information on the cave. The tour is about 45 minutes. Underground River entrance
Although the beach in sabang is not totally white sands, it is still nice to see a long stretch of beach. The water is great plus our resort is the best we stayed in in Palawan. I would rate Daluyon Resort a 5 star resort thus we had to stretch a bit more for the accomodation budget. After the travelling we did, Sabang was a relaxing spot. We enjoyed the food & drinks on our room's balcony as we prepare to get back to reality. Below, view of the resort from the beach & our room
Palawan has so much paradise to share that needs plenty of time to experience. Because it is relatively a big island, it is hard to choose a destination. You can only do 2 to 3 destinations in one visit to be able to appreciate every place. Our next stop would be in down South on the eastern side & El Nido. This time, I won't forget to bring a spray for bed bugs. My polka dot skin was one of my souvenirs of Palawan. The Philippines truly still boasts of paradise. Can't wait to go back. Below, the view from our room in Sabang & our ride to the Sabang terminal
Please let me know if anyone can share us more info on lands for sale in Palawan. Thanks!
When I was complaining about the processing of my Dual Citizenship here, a lot of people asked me why I still want to be a Filipino Citizen when I already have the French. This surprised me a bit but it never entered my mind not to be a Filipino on paper. It was only when the Philippines passed the Citizen Retention & Re-acquisition Act of 2003, or RA 9925, that I applied for the French nationality. A country recognizing Dual Citizenship is a great privilege because there are only a few countries (website not updated) who do. Left, my Certificate of Oath of Allegiance & new Philippine passport after acquiring Dual Citizenship
