In the Philippines, the Supreme Court has approved an administrative policy making easier for stateless individuals seeking asylum in the island nation to acquire Philippine citizenship, including orphan children and their legal guardians.
The high court approved The Rule on Facilitated Naturalization of Refugees and Stateless Persons in its weekly en banc session on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, the 15 member tribunal wrote that the new rule is the their contribution to ensure refugees and stateless persons have full access to rights through improved policy, and a reformed legal and operational framework.
It also wrote that the new policy was a fulfillment of their goal to provide judicial reforms and streamlined court rulings in order to provide an affordable and effective means of attaining justice — in an efficient, fair and speedy manner.
The new ruling will allow…
