The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Tuesday, March 3, began deliberations on four proposed measures seeking to grant Filipino citizenship to foreign athletes as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s campaign to qualify for the Olympics.
The hearing, presided over by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, focused on Senate Bill Nos. 1596 and 1594, which propose the naturalization of Maodo Malick Diouf and Elizabeth Jeanette Means.
Diouf, a Senegalese center who rose to prominence in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines while playing for the University of the Philippines, has become one of the most recognizable figures in collegiate basketball after earning the league’s Most Valuable Player honors.
Means, a forward being eyed for the Gilas Pilipinas Women, traces her roots to Naga and has expressed her commitment to representing the country in international competitions.
Also included in the agenda were the naturalization applications of Bennie Boatwright III, a forward for the San Miguel Beermen, and wrestler Matthew James Ramos. However, deliberations on their cases were deferred as both athletes are currently out of the country.
Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Go joined Pangilinan during the discussions on the applications of Means and Diouf.
During the hearing, Pangilinan said the proposed naturalizations revive a longstanding question about national identity.
“What makes a Filipino a Filipino? Is it the language or the color of the skin?” he asked, noting the country’s diverse heritage shaped by centuries of cultural crossings.
“I think by and large, to be a Filipino in this day and age is to choose to belong to a country that is often hard to belong to. And yet, foreigners are drawn here,” Pangilinan said. He cited the global preference for Filipino nurses and overseas Filipino workers as an example of how Filipinos are regarded abroad.
The senator added that foreigners are often drawn to the Filipino instinct to treat strangers as family, to share even when resources are scarce, and to embody generosity, hospitality, optimism and quiet acts of love.
“These athletes are not merely chasing medals; they are choosing a story,” Pangilinan said.
“They are believing that Filipino identity is not an exclusive club but a living promise — that if you sweat, sacrifice and stand for the three stars and the sun, the land and its people will eventually claim you as their own.”
The committee is expected to continue evaluating the bills as part of Congress’ broader push to enhance the Philippines’ competitiveness in international sports, particularly in the Olympic arena.
