NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
1
SENATE 
S.B. No. C°733
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24 JUL17 P12S2
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Introduced by
SENATORS WIN GATCHALIAN and JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 5 (3) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9225, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE “CITIZENSHIP RETENTION AND RE-ACQUISITION ACT 
OF 2003”
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The 1987 Constitution mandates the State to provide quality education 
relevant to the changing needs of the people and society. The landscape of 
higher education in the country must continuously evolve to meet the rapid 
changes brought about by technological advancements, globalization, and the 
demands of internationalization. To determine, on a global scale, the 
competitiveness and quality of education offered by universities, the Times 
Higher Education World University Rankings1 and the QS World University 
Rankings2 both use the international faculty ratio as one of the criteria when 
assessing and ranking a university, with 2.5% total weightage, excluding 
visiting professors/faculty in the count.3 Increasing the global ranking of
1 https: / / WWW. timeshighereducation. com / world-university-rankings / asia-univer sity- 
rankings-2024-methodology
2 https://support.qs.eom/hc/en-gb/articles/4403961809554-International-Faculty-Ratio
3 Ibid.


public higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines through the 
appointment of foreign faculty will aid to increase the enrollment of 
international students while improving the world rankings of public HEIs.
Due to limited viable economic options in the eountry, Filipino 
educators who would have been the pillars of our HEIs seek employment and 
opportunities abroad. The Commission on Higher Education International 
Affairs Services (CHED-IAS) conducted a survey on the “Internationalization 
Scoping for Philippine Higher Education Sector” where it showed that in 2017, 
the number of outbound faculty is over twice the number of inbound faculty 
and this scale factor rose to over three times in 2021.4
The passage of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9225, otherwise known as the 
Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003, has provided 
opportunities for those who have retained and re-acquired their Philippine 
citizenship to be appointed to any public office, provided that they subscribe 
and swear to an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and 
renounce a prior oath of allegiance to another country. While this law has 
opened doors to many, it poses a restriction for those who are willing to 
contribute their expertise by being appointed as faculty, researchers, or 
administrators of public HEIs in the Philippines, as it would require the 
renunciation of their oath to another country. Such pool of internationally 
competitive faculty members for our public HEIs is a potential that this 
amendatory bill seeks to tap - while simultaneously seeking to address the 
issue of declining inbound faculty, elevating the global ranking of public HEIs, 
and encouraging natural-born Filipinos who have lost and re-acquired their 
Philippine citizenship to teach in their field of expertise and contribute to the 
advancement of our public HEIs. It thus proposes to amend Section 5 (3) of
4 EDCOM Briefer on Faculty Internationalization and Dual Citizenship, May 28, 2024.


R.A. No. 9225 so that those who have retained or re-acquired their Philippine 
citizenship need not renounce an oath of allegiance to another country for the 
purpose of being appointed as faculty, researcher, or administrator of a public 
HEl in the Philippines.
To provide transformative education and increase the global 
competitiveness of our public HEls, the immediate passage of this bill is
earnestl’
IN GATC
JOEL/VILLANUEVA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
]
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
]
Third Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 2733
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24 JUL 17 P12 52
l^l:CEIVcD 8V;
Introduced by
SENATORS WIN GATCHALIAN and JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 5 (3) OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9225, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE “CITIZENSHIP RETENTION AND RE-ACQUISITION ACT 
OF 2003”
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 5 (3) of Republic Act No. 9225 is hereby amended to
2 
read as follows:
3 
“SEC. 5. Civil and Political Rights and Liabilities. - Those who
4 
retain or re-acquire Philippine citizenship under this Act shall
5 
enjoy full civil and political rights and be subject to all
6 
attendant liabilities and responsibilities under existing laws of
7 
the Philippines and the following conditions:
8 
XXX
9 
(3) Those appointed to any public office shall subscribe
10 
and swear to an oath of allegiance to the Republic of the
11 
Philippines and its duly constituted authorities prior to
12 
their assumption of office: Provided, That they renounce


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their oath of allegiance to the country where they took that 
oath[.]: 
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THOSE
APPOINTED AS FACULTY, RESEARCHERS, OR 
ADMINISTRATORS OF PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION 
INSTITUTIONS NEED NOT RENOUNCE SUCH OATH OF 
ALLEGIANCE; 
xxx"
Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive 
orders, letters of instruction, proclamations or administrative regulations 
that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly.
Sec. 3. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,