The Philippine Senate indeed was busy in 2011. There were lots of scandals for the Senate to investigate!
But, did you know that the Legislature of the Philippines can convey Philippine Citizenship to foreigners that it deems worth? It’s true. By an act of the legislature, followed by a signature of the Philippine President, a foreigner can become a citizen of the Philippines without having to go through the normal procedure of Naturalization.
In fact, in 2011, the Legislature conferred Philippine Citizenship on Marcus Eugene Douthit.
Marcus Eugene Douthit (born April 15, 1980, in Syracuse, New York) is an American-Filipino basketball player who graduated from Providence College. After his stint with the Providence Friars, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 NBA Draft. He became a naturalized Filipino citizen on March 11, 2011, thus allowing him to play for Smart Gilas, the Philippines’ men’s national basketball team.