Can My Son Enter the Philippines with His U.S. Passport?

We got a question from Raphael Fernandez today,

Here’s what Raphael had to say:

hi!

My son was born in LA in 1992. When he went to Philippines in 1993, he got a certificate from the Bureau of Immigration (signed by then Manual C Roxas, Associate Commissioner) stating that he is recognized as a Filipino citizen.

In 2006 he went back to the US for his high school. Now, 2011, he’s 19 years and he’s going back to the Phil for his college studies. Up to this time he doesn’t have a Philippine passport, only a US passport recently renewed. My question is: when he returns to the Phil and passes through Immigration, can he only present his US passport and the BI certificate? Will there be no more impedance entering the Philippines using only those two documents?

Here’s what Bob had to say:

Hello Raphael – If you son enters the Philippines on a US passport, then for that visit he is a foreigner and must pay all the visa fees and such, and will be subject to a maximum of 16 months stay as well. Best thing to do is to get him a Philippine Passport now, at the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles. That will be hassle free and easy to accomplish since you have that certificate that he is a Philippine citizen.