Grant of Filipino Citizenship to Dr. Patrick B. Connon of De La Salle College, Manila

August 10, 1970

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6131

AN ACT DECLARING DR. PATRICK B. CONNON, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BROTHER H. GABRIEL CONNON, FSC, PRESIDENT OF DE LA SALLE COLLEGE, MANILA, A CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES, AND CONFERRING UPON HIM ALL THE RIGHTS, DUTIES, PRIVILEGES, AND PREROGATIVES OF FILIPINO CITIZENSHIP

WHEREAS, Dr. Patrick B. Connon, otherwise known in educational circles as Brother H. Gabriel Connon, FSC, an American citizen, has expressed his sincere desire to become a Filipino citizen;

WHEREAS, during his twenty (20) years' residence in the Philippines, he has served the Filipino people in various fields of human endeavor, not only in the field of education in which he has played a prominent role as President of De La Salle College, Manila (1950–59), (1967–70), and (1970– ), and extended its high educational standards by founding De La Salle Colleges in other parts of the country, established a training college which produced the first Filipino De La Salle Brothers, raised the standard of excellence in private schools through the creation of the Philippine Accreditation Association for Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), but also in civic, social and economic activities of the Government for the welfare and spiritual uplift of the Filipino people, including his active participation in charity drives and programs of the Government and in the establishment of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) (1968–70), a much-needed full-time Graduate Studies Program for Business Management in the country; all of which endeavors showed and still show his deep interest in and concern for the welfare of the Filipino; and

WHEREAS, the service so unselfishly rendered by the said Brother H. Gabriel Connon, FSC, makes him worthy of becoming a citizen of the Philippines entitled to all the rights and privileges conferred by such citizenship: Now, therefore,

SECTION 1. That Dr. Patrick B. Connon, otherwise known as Brother H. Gabriel Connon, FSC, be, and he hereby is, declared, a citizen of the Philippines, with all the rights and privileges and prerogatives incident to, and conferred by, Filipino citizenship under the Constitution and laws of the Republic of the Philippines now or hereafter enacted.

Upon the taking and registration of the following oath of allegiance the said Dr. Patrick B. Connon, otherwise known as Brother H. Gabriel Connon, FSC, shall enter upon the full enjoyment of Filipino citizenship as herein provided: cdt

"I, _______________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance or fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and particularly to the Government of the United States of which up to this time I am a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines and that I will obey the laws, legal orders and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the Republic of the Philippines; and I hereby declare that I recognize the supreme authority of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto; and that I impose this obligation upon myself voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion.

"SO HELP ME GOD."

The oath of allegiance shall be recorded in the Civil Registry of the City of Manila within thirty days after the approval of this Act. acd

SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: August 10, 1970

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 66, No. 35, p. 8049 on August 31, 1970