Brownlee to take Oath of Allegiance today

Justin Brownlee PBA PHOTO

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has enacted into law a measure granting Filipino citizenship to American professional basketball player Justin Donta Brownlee.

Republic Act 11937 confers the right to 34-year-old Brownlee to become a “bonafide citizen” of the Philippines.

It was signed by the Chief Executive last Jan. 12, 2023, according to the copy of the law obtained by The Manila Times from a source1.

Malacañang has yet to release an official copy.

Originally from Georgia, United States, Brownlee's first taste of the country's brand of basketball happened when he came in as a replacement import for Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Basketball Association in 2016.

He went on to lead the Kings to the championship and added a few more to the team's trophy case in the years that followed as the resident import.

Brownlee's naturalization bid in the House of Representatives was principally authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez and backed by Cavite Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. and sports patron and 1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero.

Other authors of the bill are Manuel Jose Dalipe, Gus Tambunting, Juliet Marie de Leon Ferrer, Roberto Puno, Margarita Ignacia Nograles, Jonathan Keith Flores, Ysabel Maria Zamora, Pablo John Garcia, Loreto Acharon, Ma. Rachel Arenas, Irwin Tieng, Ron Salo, Raul Angelo Bongalon, Dante Garcia, Olga Kho, Laarni Lavin Roque, Zaldy Villa, Divina Grace Yu, Jaime Fresnedi, Francisco Paolo Ortega, Romeo Acop, Roy Loyola, Joseph Stephen Paduano, Jose Gay Padiernos, Raul Tupas, Dan Fernandez, Celso Regencia, Yevgeny Vincente Emano, Arnie Fuentebella, Paolo Duterte and Jeffrey Soriano.

In the Senate, the counterpart legislation was authored by Senators Ronald dela Rosa, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Francis Tolentino.

Brownlee is set to take his Oath of Allegiance today at 2 p.m. at the office of Senator Tolentino.