“I don’t know about you but I’m glad to have this congresswoman as a Filipina.”
by Ducky Paredes
Why are such elementary questions even asked when the answers are so clear.
Congresswoman Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong (1st District, Negros Oriental) may not have a Pinoy sounding family name but she is a natural-born Filipina! Under the 1935 Constitution, which defines a Filipino as (Article IV, Section 1 (4) “those whose mothers are citizens of the Philippines and, upon reaching the age of majority, elect Philippine citizenship.”
Congresswoman Josy’s mother – Anecia Uyguanco Dy — was a natural-born Filipina; she married Julio Sy, a Chinese citizen and thus lost her citizenship. When her husband was naturalized, she re-acquired her Filipino citizenship. At that time, Josy was nine days away from being born.
As for her choosing to be Filipino, a formal declaration is really not necessary. Doing things that only a citizen can do is already proof of choice. Thus, when she voted in an election, Josy already manifested her choice to be a Filipino. When she took her board exam in accountancy and was given a Professional Regulation Commission license (No. 02047184), this was another manifestation of her choice.
This congresswoman is an admirable person. She was a one-term mayor of La Libertad, Negros Oriental, a fourth class municipality, where most folks are either farmers or fishermen. As Josy tells it, “As mayor of La Libertad, I have witnessed first hand the lack of progress and development our district has. For example, no major investors. There are a lot of opportunities for investment in the district but in the past years no major investor has been enticed to invest therefore depriving the district of more employment and livelihood.”
She was elected mayor in 2004 to succeed her husband, Mayor, Lawrence Dy Limkaichong (who is again the current mayor). As mayor, she wangled a donation of two Soya milk machines. She then encouraged farmers to plant soya beans which were purchased by the municipality at good prices. These fed the machines and the milk produced was used in a nutrition program for malnourished children.
She also encouraged the La Libertad Weavers Association which now regularly produces mats, bags, baskets and various accessories. Composed of women at the grassroots, the members have developed into entrepreneurs and businesswomen. Talk of women empowerment!
La Libertad also started planting solo papayas and supplies the local mall; it is also now producing papaya for the larger Bacolod market. The enterprise gives participating farmers a share in the enterprise’s annual profit of more than P250,000.
She also encouraged the La Libertad School of Music, a project of her husband. Children interested in learning music are assigned musical instruments. Music teachers from Siliman University and UCCP come to Libertad to teach the children. From this, an award-winning La Libertad Rondalla has emerged.
Under mayor Josy, La Libertad was the first municipality to launch a Barangay ID System which gave identification cards to all La Libertad residents over 18. These IDs have all of their personal data, picture, fingerprint and signature and are free. The one requirement is that one pays for a cedula.
I don’t know about you but I’m glad to have this congresswoman as a Filipina.
Private citizens also went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to bring up alleged procedural errors in the naturalization of her father, Julio Sy, who was born in Dumaguete on April 22, 1933 of Chinese parents.
On July 28, 1955, he filed a petition for naturalization before the Negros Oriental Court of First Instance which granted the petition on July 9, 1957. The next day, the Court ordered a rehearing and, after two years, oon September 21, 1959, the court declared Julio Sy a naturalized Filipino citizen. On October 21, 1959, Julio took his Oath of Allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines and was finally issued his Certificate of Naturalization. Imagine that, after all that, and 49 years later, questions can still be brought up about Julio Sy’s naturalization!
Of course, even if her father remained Chinese, Josy would still be Filipino since her citizenship derives from her mother. Besides, questions on naturalization of should be brought not before the Comelec or other bodies but before the Solicitor General or the provincial fiscal, who would then go to court to ask for the cancellation of the naturalization certificate.
Without the cancellation of the certificate of naturalization, one must presume that the same is valid and lawful. Besides the Comelec, by law, has a limited jurisdiction “as the sole judge of all contests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all members of the Batasang Pambansa. Elective regional, provincial and city official.”
Since the father is not any of these, how can the Comelec disqualify him as a citizen of the Philippines?
One supposes that losers in an election will do anything to stop the winner from enjoying her win, which, the case of Josy was by a mile. The local papers in Negros Oriental, at the time of her election called Josy the underdog against entrenched rivals. She beat her closest rival, Olivia P. Paras 65,798 to 57,962. Perhaps, if former Congressman Jerome Paras had not run against his own sister-in-law, his 25,717 votes may have gone to Olivia but that possibility is for the Paras family to figure.
Olivia Paras filed before the Supreme Court a Petition to annul the proclamation of Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong based on a pre-election decision of the Comelec to set aside Josy’s candidacy which the Comelec later reversed. The Supreme Court is asked to disqualify Josy for being a Chinese national.
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hvp 07.25.08)
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