Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill no. 3'784

Introduced by Representative Roberto V. Puno

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In August 2013, Philippine basketball reclaimed its glory when the Gilas Pilipinas national team
bagged the silver medal in the 27" FIBA Asia Championship. The impressive feat eamed for our
country a coveted slot in the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup to be held in Madrid, Spain. trom
August 30 to September 14, 2014.

After @ long medal drought, the national team was able to restore pride and honor to our country as a
result of its efforts to adapt to the needs and demands of international competitions. Through the
initiative of the Samahang Basketbo! ng Pilipinas (SBP), the national team brought in a naturalized
basketball player to boost its stock and global sports ranking, With this pivotal move and a series of
‘other long-term measures initiated last year, the country’s FIBA world ranking today has jumped 29
places from 63" place in 2007, the year the SBP was formed, to 34" place today. The Philippines
has already exceeded expectations given the fact that while it is ranked 34", it was able to eam a
coveted slot in the exclusive circle of 24 teams qualified to compete in the world’s most prestigious
basketball event

This world-class performance of the Gilas Pilipinas team was made possible by the immense
contributions of its first naturalized player—Marcus Douthit—who helped bring Philippine
basketball to its strongest finish in 27 years in FIBA

To further cement our place in basketball history and significantly strengthen our chances in the 2014
FIBA World Cup, the Philippine national team needs to naturalize another player in the person of Mr.
JaVale Lindy MeGee. This is a strategic long-term measure designed to avoid jeopardizing the long-
term goals of the Philippines” national basketball program,

‘This measure is a re-filed bill from the 15" Congress, when we had carlier sought the grant of
Philippine citizenship for Mr. McGee. But owing to several financial concems, such as issues
involving Mr, MeGee’s insurance requirements, we deemed it wise to withdraw our measure at that
time,

‘These financial concems and other constraints have now been resolved to the advantage of the
Philippine national tcam. Thus. we are now renewing our call for the grant of Philippine citizenship to
Mr, McGee on the grounds that his exceptional talent and ability would make him an invaluable asset
not only to our national team but to our country.

Javale McGee was bom on January 19, 1988 in Flint, Michigan, USA. A basketball standout at the
Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, Javale MeGce later on signed as the starting center for the
University of Nevada during college. After only two years, Javale Mcgee was eventually selected by
the Washington Wizards in the 1* round, 18° overall, of the 2008 NBA Draft. He played for the
Washington Wizards from 2008 — 2012. On March 15, 2012 he was then traded to the Denver
‘Nuggets, his current NBA team.


Javale Megee, who stands 7°1” tall, is a versatile player with tremendous mobility and athleticism,
Megee has career averages of 7 points, 3 rebounds and .4 assists per game.

He was considered twice to play center for the United States Men’s National basketball team and
trained at the Team USA’s summer training camp in preparation for the 2010 World Championship in
Turkey. In 2011, he was chosen to participate at the NBA Slam dunk contest, the first player from the
Washington Wizards in history to do so. Though he did not win, he was cited by the Guinness Book
of World Records for achieving a world record in most basketballs dunked in one jump, having used
three balls in a single dunk during the competition.

Given his remarkable track record in the United States’ professional basketball scene, Javale Megee
will no doubt be a great asset to our country if given a chance to play for the Philippine team, This bill
is also in tune with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas” continuing program of maximizing the
eligibility of a naturalized player, Megee being only twenty six (26) years old

Naturalized athletes have brought honor and pride to our country not only in the field of basketball
‘An example is swimmer Gillian Akiko Thomson, who brought home gold medals for the Philippines
in the 14 and 15" Southeast Asian Games and represented the Philippines in three consecutive
Summer Olympic Games, Christine Jacob-Sandejas is another naturalized Filipino who won several
swimming golds in the Southeast Asian Games and represented the country in the 1984 Summer
Olympics. Up to this day, they continue to live up to the honor of being Filipino citizens by turning
out commendable performances in their current ficlds of interest

Allowing naturalized athletes to play for national teams has proven to be crucial and extremely
beneficial to other countries. South Korea has naturalized the brothers Jaron and Greg Stevenson and
Erie Sandrin so that they could play for the national basketball tcam, Qatar has naturalized
Americans Jarvis Hayes, Trey Johnson and Boney Watson, Lebanon has naturalized Loren Woods,
Joe Vogel and Jackson Vroman. Russia catapulted to first place in 2007 in the European basketball
rankings due in large part to its move to bring in naturalized players Jon Robert Holden and Kelly
McCarty

Naturalization by legislation allows Congress to confer Philippine citizenship to whomever it
believes deserves this honor by virtue of exceptional merit and ability, Congress can continue being
an integral part of the Philippines’ resounding success in world basketball by naturalizing another
player that has proven his outstanding performance in the sport

Mr. MeGee’s values, exceptional track record and the stringent ethical standards he practices in and
out of the court prove that he would be a valuable asset to the Philippines just like its equally
exemplary natural-bom citizens. Mr. MeGce truly deserves the honor of being called a Filipino

On a final note, Mr, MeGce’s naturalization has now acquired a sense of urgency, considering that
our national basketball team needs to submit its initial lineup to FIBA by May 30, 2014.

In consideration of all the above, the swift approval of this measure is respectfully sought.

(ane

|OBERTO V. PUNO


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3784

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. Roberto V, Puno

AN ACT GRANTING PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP TO JAVALE
LINDY MCGEE.

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

SECTION 1. Javale Lindy McGee is hereby granted Philippine citizenship
with all the rights and privileges and prerogatives appurtenant thereto,

Upon taking and registration of the oath of allegiance to the Republic of the
Philippines, Javale Lindy McGee shall enter upon the full enjoyment of Philippine

ship

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its approval

Approved,