Practical benefits of dual citizenship

There is a law that allows two citizenships to Filipinos.
Republic Act No. 9225 allows the retention and re-acquisition of Filipino citizenship.
This law is applicable to one form of dual citizenship.
The dual citizenship circumstance to which this law applies, covers natural born Filipinos who loose their Philippine citizenship.
Millions of natural-born Filipinos have gone abroad to seek greener pastures.
Along the way, while living and earning abroad, they lost their Filipino citizenship and have, for practical purposes, obtained the citizenship of their adopted country
Upon their retirement and return to the Philippines, they suddenly realize they are foreigners in their own homeland.
They meet the reality of being a “non-Filipino”.
R.A. 9225 fixes this anomaly by allowing “former” Filipinos to re-acquire or retain their Filipino citizenship.
It is easy--- a do-it-yourself affair.
The former Filipino just needs to file a petition for re-acquisition.
This is a form one can obtain easily in the internet, either from the website of the Bureau of Immigration www.immigation.gov.ph or any Philippine consulate or embassy.
The petition is filed with the Bureau of Immigration or any of its offices, or consular offices abroad.
There is a payment of P3,000.00 for this.
Another important requirement is taking an oath of allegiance
There are practical benefits of re-acquiring or retaining Filipino (dual) citizenship.
Foremost of these benefits is that one who re-acquires Filipino citizenship, does not have to loose his previously acquired foreign citizenship.
That is why it is called “dual” citizenship.
Second if one re-acquires Filipino citizenship, he can stay indefinitely in the Philippines and would no longer have to report to the immigration office like foreigners do.
Re-acquiring Philippine citizenship also provides comfort, convenience for the elderly balikbayans.
Those who have obtained citizenship in countries in North America come back to the Philippines during the hardly-bearable winter.
Dual citizenship can be seriously beneficial to those who have arthritis and other weather-induced, weather-prone ailments.
When the summer heat dawns in tropical Philippines, they return to where spring has blossomed.
One who re-acquires his Filipino citizenship can perform acts, and avail of benefits accorded to ordinary Filipino citizens.
Among these practical benefits include being able to obtain senior citizen card and availing its benefits like watching free movies, buying virtually everything at discounts like medicines, food, airfares.
One who has re-acquired Philippine citizenship can buy real property, be an incorporator in corporations that require 100% Filipino ownership (like mass media ownership). He can hold vital positions in certain industries (realty, mining, logging) without running afoul with the anti-dummy law.
One who re-acquires his or her Philippine citizenship can also vote, run for certain elective offices, or be appointed in a government office, if he desires to serve the motherland this way.
Those who have lost their Filipino citizenship should seriously consider availing of the benefits of Republic Act 9225 or the dual citizenship law.The Philippine consulate in Los Angeles is the regular site of former Filipinos who, after having obtained American citizenship, apply to re-acquire Philippine citizenship by taking their oath of allegiance, and become dual citizens.

Family roots and reunion

Last December 31, just before the new year dawned, I attended the annual Tale family reunion in Valencia of which I am a member by affinity.
My wife, Ruby is the great-great grand daughter of Policarpio Tale and Lucia Verduguillo, who lived in Dauin, Negros Oriental generations ago.
Yearly, the Tale family rewinds, replays, and rekindles the story of their ancestors Policarpio and Lucia Tale.
Policarpio Tale was born in sitio Kanghangin now Magsaysay, Dauin.
He was an illegitimate son of Nicolas Alas-as and Gavino Trumata of Poblacion Dauin.
As a young boy he spent an austere life with his mother.
An incident in the life of Policarpio carved a path in his life that spelled his destiny.
One day while cultivating the plants in his mother lot, an unusual chicken pecked Policarpio’s hand.
Immediately after the chicken dropped excreta with a ten centavo coin.
Policarpio through this was a good luck charm.
Apparently it did not turn out to be good charm initially, for the carabao he was then tending, went astray and damaged the neighbor’s crops.
This made his mother very angry.
Policarpio was severely punished.
The following day he decided to run away to Sulodpan-Isugan Bacong, where he found a job in the household of the Solamillo. family as encargador.
Seeing that young Policarpio was trustworthy and a hardworker his master prodded him to marry a young lady named Lucia Verduguillo
In the wedlock, they were blessed with eight children namely,
Valentina, Hilaria, Pedro, Bruno, Bibiana, Geronima, Melchor and Nazario.
My wife Ruby Vendiola traces her roots from Bibiana Tale, who later married Aquilino Vendiola.
Bibiana and Aquilino’s children were:
Francisco ‘Kikong’ T. Vendiola who married Felicisma Marino. Francisco and Felicisima were my wife’s grandparents.
Cesaria Vendiola was married to Jesus Tanada.
Gil T. Vendiola married Olympia Monding.
Perfecta T. Vendiola lived and died single.
Another sibling was the late Padre Galo T. Vendiola of Bacong.
Within the marriage of Francisco Vendiola and Felicisima Marino were born the following:
Epifania Vendiola (who married Arturo Baena), Revocato M. Vendiola (who married Isidra Elnar); Marcos M. Vendiola (who married Josephina Tabada), Concordio M. Vendiola (who married Aurora Sun); Maria Vendiola (married to Saludario A. Sonjaco Sr.); Blesilda Vendiola (married to Esdras Init); Rosario Vendiola (married to Antero Bongbong); Constatino Vendiola (married to Teresita Melo) (Ruby’s parents); Arturo M. Vendiola (married to Teofila Banua); Andres M. Vendiola (married to Julitalyn Feraren)
The scattered descendants of Policarpio and Lucia Tale continue to close ranks and organized a board and officers.
The board of directors of the Tale Family Circle are represented each by the heirs of the children of Policarpio and Lucia Tale.
The board members are: Antonio Wenceslao for the heirs of Valentina Tale; Josephina Teves for the heirs of Hilaria Tale; Adelina C. Alcantara representing the heirs of Pedro Tale; Ade Zamora for the heirs of Bruno Tale; Lyndon B. Vendiola representing the heirs of Bibiana Tale; Reiner Sarno Divina for the heirs of Geronima Tale; Estrella Tale for the Melchor Tale group; and Becky T. Bautista representing the heirs of Nazario Tale.
The present officers of the Tale Family circle are:
Franklin Tale, President ; Earl Tale, executive vice president; Jose Tale vice president for Luzon; Saludario V. Sonjaco Jr. vice president for Visayas; Cathrine T. Tan vice president for Mindanao; Edgar V. Init secretary; Fe Nestoria M. Cena, treasurer; Noemi S. Yuag auditor; Florita T. Ornopia, business manager; Fiel Ornopia, P.R.O.; Larry Gajelomo, Eudoxio V. Init, Sgt. at Arms;
The 46th Tale reunion in 2010 was hosted by the heirs of Bibiana Tale.