Allowing Applicants for Naturalization as Philippine Citizens to Conditionally Take Any Board Examination

April 17, 1978

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1350

ALLOWING APPLICANTS FOR NATURALIZATION AS CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES TO CONDITIONALLY TAKE ANY BOARD EXAMINATION, EXCEPT THE BAR EXAMINATIONS, IF OTHERWISE QUALIFIED, PENDING APPROVAL OF THEIR SAID APPLICATIONS

WHEREAS, existing laws generally require that for admission to take examinations given by the different Boards of Examiners for the various professions the applicants for examination must be citizens of the Philippines at the time the examinations are held;

WHEREAS, there are many deserving aliens who, except for their citizenship, are otherwise qualified to take the Board examinations for the different professions and who have pending applications for naturalization by decree under Letter of Instructions No. 270, as amended by Letters of Instructions Nos. 283 and 491, or similar issuances;

WHEREAS, the above-cited Letters of Instructions, in providing for a simpler and easier procedure for admission as Filipino citizens of a larger number of aliens, were issued "in order that aliens permanently residing in this country who having developed and demonstrated love for and loyalty to the Philippines and affinity to the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people, as well as contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of our country, may be integrated into the national fabric by the grant of Philippine citizenship;"

WHEREAS, the above-mentioned objective is somehow thwarted by the rigid and technical requirement under existing laws that only those who are actually citizens of the Philippines on the date of examination may take the various Board examinations for the different professions; and cdt

WHEREAS, this impediment or drawback to the full integration of aliens into the national fabric may be removed by allowing them to conditionally take any Board examination to which they are otherwise qualified pending approval of their applications for naturalization;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree:

SECTION 1.  Any provision of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, any alien who has filed an application for naturalization as citizen of the Philippines by decree may, pending approval thereof, be allowed to take any examination given by the various Boards of Examiners for the different professions, except the bar examinations, if said alien is otherwise qualified to take the examination: Provided, That in case he passes the examination the results thereof shall be withheld insofar as he is concerned and he shall not be issued the certificate of registration to practise the particular profession until his application for naturalization is approved and he takes his oath as citizen of the Philippines.

SECTION 2. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3.  This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 74 No. 34 Page 6554 on August 21, 1978.