Who are the Citizens of the Philippines?

Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution provides that the following are citizens of
The Philippines:

▪ Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this Constitution;

▪ Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines

▪ Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine

Citizenship upon reaching the age of majority; and

▪ Those who are naturalized in accordance with law

What are the duties and obligations of Citizens?

▪ To be loyal to the Republic

o This means that we have faith and confidence in the Republic and love and devotion to
the country
o We have to be proud being Filipinos, respect our customs, traditions language and
institutions

▪ To defend the State

o Considering the fact that our country is our home, it is prime duty to love and defend the
state at all costs regardless of our creed, religious beliefs, and wisdom
o Loving one’s country can be shown not by words but by deeds
o It should be a continuous flame of love considering the fact that we receive the benefits
and protection from the State of which we are a part. In return, it is our primary and honorable
duty to defend it against any peril whether from within or from without.

▪ To contribute to the development and welfare of the State

o We can do this in the form of paying our taxes willingly and promptly, by helping
maintain peace and order, conserving natural resources, the promotion of social justice by
suggesting supportive measures beneficial to the people as a whole, by patronizing local products
and trade and by engaging in productive work.

▪ To uphold the Constitution and obey the laws

o It is our prime obligation to uphold the Constitution and obey laws. If the people would
disregard them, our country would collapse and we will not have peace and order

▪ To cooperate with duly constituted authorities

o In every organization, there is always a leader to manage the affairs of all constituents. If
the members will not cooperate, we can never expect to become successful in all undertakings
that our government would like to do for the good of its citizens.

To exercise rights responsibly and with due regard for the rights of others
▪
o No man is an island and we have to live with others. In the exercise of our rights, we
have to see to it that we also respect the rights of other people. If we do this, we can expect
harmonious relationship among members of the society.
To engage in gainful work
▪
o It is stated in the Bible that if we want to eat, we have to work. It is our obligation as
citizens of our country to become productive, by engaging in gainful work so that we can
provide the basic needs of our family and ourselves as well.

To registered and vote

▪
o It is our prime duty as citizens of the Philippines to register and vote. Suffrage is both a
privilege and a duty which every qualified citizen must perform.
o It is not sufficient to just register and vote, but it is coupled with intellectual judgment
during election. We have to consider the different political issues by different candidates, so that,
at least, we can choose the right person to manage government affairs.

How can we become Good Citizens?

We can become good citizens by living in accordance with good citizenship values which can be
derived from the preamble of the Philippine Constitutions such as:
Faith in God
▪
Patriotism
▪
Work
▪
Respect for Life
▪
Respect for Law and Government
▪
Truth
▪
Justice
▪
Freedom
▪
Love
▪
Equality
▪
Peace
▪
 Promotion of the Common Good
▪
Concern for the Family and Future Generations
▪
Concern for the Environment and Order
▪

Preamble of the 1987 Philippine Constitution

We the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God, in order to build a just
and humane society and establish a Government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations,
promote the common good, conserve and develop our patrimony, and secure to ourselves and
our prosperity, the blessings of independence and democracy under the rule of law and a
regime of truth, justice, freedom, love, equality and peace, to ordain and promulgate this
Constitution.

The Basic Values of the Filipino People

OUR BASIC VALUES WHAT IT MEANS

1. 1. Unity We want to be as one people. We cherish
oneness- as co-citizens of our country, as
members of our family, as co-workers in an
institution.
2. 2. Patriotism We want the best of our country. We want
our country be respected and honored its
citizenry and by the whole world.
3. 3. Faith in Almighty God We want to have God present in our lives.
We want to have a relationship of trust in
him. We want to ask for God’s help beyond
what we ourselves can do.
4. 4. Respect for life We want all human life to be preserved,
nurtured and safeguarded.
5. Respect for Law and Government We want that the rule of law be upheld by
all and at all times, that Government be
accorded respect and all laws be complied
with.
6. Truth We want that we ourselves and others be
true; that the truth reign in our land.
7. Justice We want that everyone be given what is
due him/her as a human being, and that
what governs all relationships is morally
 and legally upright.
8. Freedom We want that each one of us be able to
experience our freedom of will.
9. Love We want that each one of us desire to love
and be loved. Love begets love. If love
reigns in our hearts, the harmonious
relationship of all the people will prevail.
10. Equality We want that each one of us have the
opportunity to be fully human, and that no
one be victim of prejudices or biases of any
kin, and that the interest of one not be
sacrificed against his will for the good of
another.
11. Peace We want to live in a serene and secure
community, with a harmonious relationship
with our neighbors. A place which tranquil
could expect harmony among others and
ourselves as well as with the environment.
12. Promotion of the Common Good We want all Filipinos to meet their basic
minimum needs and to have opportunities
to develop and use our god-given
potentials.
13. Concern for the Family and We want what is best for our family and for
Future Generations very single member in the present and
future generations.
14. Concern for the Environment We want the environment to be preserved
and Order and nurtured, and for ourselves and others
to be good stewards of the environment.
15. Order We want organizations, system, and
predictability in all aspects of our daily
lives and our life as a nation.
16. Work Everybody wants to have a job to support
the basic needs of his family.