KUWAIT: More than 200 Filipino women living in Kuwait and married to Kuwaitis have been accused of holding dual Kuwaiti and Filipino citizenship. Meanwhile, the Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) reportedly recently discovered that more than 250,000 Kuwaiti citizens, over 23 percent of the Kuwaiti population, hold dual nationality, which is illegal, with the country's lawmakers demanding that this practice be eradicated. Kuwaitis who acquire dual citizenship have their own reasons for wishing to own more than one passport, with many citing firstly their children's comfort and security and secondly an additional source of security if any turmoil besets Kuwait as motives.

Most of the Filipinos married to Kuwaitis who acquired Kuwaiti citizenship as a result reject the allegations against them, however. "The claim was doubtful," said one Filipina married to a Kuwaiti who spoke with this reporter on condition of anonymity. "Because if you are a Filipina married to a Kuwaiti before they can approve our citizenships, they'll take away our Philippine passports. The authorities here will surrender our passports to the Philippine Embassy. Only right after the surrender can they process our new passports, so how can we get another passport?" she asked.

The Philippine government allows dual citizenship according to the country's Republic Act 9225 of 2003. In the case of Filipinos based in several countries around the world, immediately after the approval of dual citizenship law in the Philippines, many re-acquired Filipino citizenship. In the case of Filipinos married to Kuwaitis, however, Rea Oreta, the Philippine Vice Consul, noted that although many tried to re-acquire their citizenship, during the process, they would have to give up their application due to Kuwaiti law.

Pertaining to Filipino law regarding dual citizenship, anybody who is Filipino by birth, even though they are married and have acquired their husband's nationality, they can re-acquire their Filipino citizenship," she said. "Our law in the Philippines doesn't discriminate against anybody, if you can prove you are a Filipino you can re-acquire Filipino citizenship without giving up another passport," Oreta said.

Filipinos who married Kuwaitis and acquired their husbands' citizenship hope to retain dual citizenship in Kuwait. "It is in my blood, I cannot deny the fact that I love the Philippines, despite the poverty and uncertainties in my home country. I can never replace my home country with another one, said Fatum, another Filipina happily married to a Kuwaiti husband, with three children. "My immediate relatives are all living in the Philippines, so I want to go back to the Philippines like a Filipino, so I hope they'll understand that. I just feel very uncomfortable when they treat me in the Philippines as a foreigner.

According to Fatum, the problem many Filipino expatriates face is their inability to buy or own property in Manila while holding Kuwaiti passports. "Our law in the Philippines says we cannot own properties in Manila unless we have Filipino business partners," she added. "This means I cannot own a property of my own in my former country. I just hope they'll reconsider the issue of dual citizenship in Kuwait. - Kuwait Times