Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

6715

HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C, BICHARA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article IV, Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution explicitly allows naturalization as
a mode of acquiring Philippine citizenship. The same provision empowers Congress
to pass laws granting Philippine citizenship to foreigners who have rendered
exceptional service to the country and to the Filipino people.

Mr. Nanaa was first appointed as Philippine Honorary Consul on 24 April 2008 and
was subsequently promoted to Honorary-Consul general on 24 April 2011

Under his leadership, the Philippine Honorary Consulate (PHC) in Aleppo has
negotiated and paid in advance the cost of repatriation of hundreds of distres
Filipinos in Aleppo and Idlib, Syria. The assistance he provided our citizens wi
limited to reuniting them with their families in the Philippines but he likewise ensured
the collection of their unpaid salaries and rectified many of their labor-related
concerns.

Having committed himself to the service of the Filipino people, Mr. Nanaa made his
private residence available for distressed Filipinos in Syria and has provided
sanctuary to hundreds of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who fled their respective
employers or agencies owing to maltreatment, physical abuse, sexual harassment, and
other forms of exploitation.

At the outbreak of violence in Syria on January 2012, The Aleppo PHC took an active
part in the Philippine government's mandatory repatriation program of OFW’s in
Syria. As part of its mandate the Aleppo PHC. under the leadership of Mr. Nanaa,
dutifully negotiated and even advanced the cost of repatriation of Filipinos caught in
the turmoil in certain conflict-stricken areas. At present the Aleppo PHC continues to
be an integral part of the Philippine Embassy in the Damascus’ Contingency Plan for
the Evacuation of Filipinos from Syria

As a private individual, Mr. Nanaa has been engaged in business with Filipino
suppliers. For the past fourteen (14) years he has been importing a wide array of
products from the Philippines to be distributed in Syria and other areas in the Middle
East.


After being appointed as Honorary Consul Mr. Nanaa, being a businessman himself.
took the initiative to promote the Philippines as a viable investment and business
destination. In 2009 he hosted the 1 Philippine Investment Forum in Aleppo in
collaboration with the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry. To promote
Philippine culture, Mr. Nanaa hosted several receptions showcasing the colorful
traditions, values and culture of the Philippines which includes the celebration of the
Philippine National Day in 2010.

Staying true to his commitment at furthering Philippine interest in Syria, Mr. Nanaa
arranged and headed the 1* Syrian Tourism Group to the Philippines. Articles and
photographs from the said visit have been published in various newspapers,
magazines and websites across Syria. In 2011 he likewise headed an all-out campaign
to encourage Syrians to vote for the Puerto Princesa Underground River to be
included as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. He did not merely rely on airing the
campaign through traditional media outlets but he took an innovative approach by
utilizing the Aleppo PHC’s website to facilitate online voting by Syrians.

In recognition of his invaluable service to the Filipino nation, this bill seeks to grant

sim Nanaa the honor of Philippine citizenship with all the rights, privileges,

and obligations as provided for by the constitution. For these reasons, the
ssage of this bill is earnestly sought.

AL FRAN(IS C. BICHARA
2nd District Albay


Romie

aus

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

6715

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. AL FRANCIS C. BICHARA
“AN ACT
GRANTING PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP TO WASSIM NANAA”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

ION 1. Wassim Nanaa is hereby granted Philippine citizenship with all
the rights, privileges, and duties appurtenant thereto and with the same effects and
subject to the same conditions as provided under the Constitution.

SECTION 2. Upon the taking of the oath of allegiance to the Republic of the
Philippines before the Bureau of Immigration and the issuance to him of the
Certificate of Naturalization, Wassim Nanaa shall enter upon the full enjoyment of
Philippine citizenship.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,