Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee granted Filipino citizenship

Read Time:2 Minute, 12 Second

SENATE PANEL APPROVES BROWNLEE PH CITIZENSHIP: American basketball player Justin Brownlee’s naturalization to Philippine citizenship passes at the Committee on Justice and Human Rights level after less than two hours of deliberations on his qualifications Monday, November 21, 2022. Brownlee, wearing a Barong Tagalog, answered queries from senators, sometimes in Filipino. He has been in and out of the country for five years, playing as an import of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and has earned Philippine Basketball Association’s best import award twice. Once his naturalization is approved, he is expected to reinforce the Gilas Pilipinas team in February in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Window 6 to be held in Philippine Arena

FILE–Naturalized candidate Justin Brownlee. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra’s long-time import Justin Brownlee is now a Filipino citizen.

This is as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos signed the law granting Brownlee Filipino citizenship on Jan. 12, a copy of which was released to the media by Senator Joel Villanueva.

Under Republic Act No. 11937, Brownlee will enjoy Philippine citizenship after he takes an oath of allegiance to the Philippines and secures a certificate of naturalization from the Bureau of Immigration.

As a naturalized Filipino citizen, Brownlee can join the national basketball team.

Brownlee is being eyed to serve Gilas Pilipinas in future international events, particularly the sixth and final window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers in February at Philippine Arena, where the Filipinos face Lebanon and Jordan.

Philippine Olympic Committee also said that Brownlee will likely lead the country’s men’s basketball team for the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia this May.

Brownlee, born in Georgia, United States, is a five-time PBA champion with the Gin Kings and a three-time winner of the PBA Best Import award.

He joins Ivory Coast native Ange Kouame and NBA star Jordan Clarkson in Gilas Pilipinas’ active pool of naturalized players.