1. Reported Stateless Persons
The Philippines reported 267 stateless persons to UNHCR in 2022, an increase of 7 persons since 2021. UNHCR has noted that this reported population reflects improved information on persons of Indonesian descent who have acquired nationality. The reported number also includes 11 stateless Rohingya refugees. The reported stateless persons were drastically higher before 2019, at 2,678 persons in 2017 and 1,068 persons in 2018 .
2. Persons at Risk of Statelessness
Six populations groups within the Philippines have been identified by the Philippines Government and a UNHCR supported mapping report as at risk of statelessness, including the indigenous sea-faring Sama Bajau, Persons of Indonesian Descent (the status of most of this population group has been resolved in recent years), foundlings, unregistered children who have been forcibly displaced due to armed conflict and persons of Japanese descent.
3. Stateless Refugee
In 2021 there were 5 reported stateless refugees in the Philippines, all of whom were Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
| Country | 2019 (year start) | 2020 (year end) | 2021 (year end) | 2022 (year end) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | 383 | 387 | 260 | 267 |
Source: UNHCR, Global Trends: Forced Displacement from 2019-2022.
4. Undetermined Nationalities
One notable population of Filipinos reside outside of the Philippines but are unable to confirm their citizenship status. This including as many as 55,000-97,000 residents of Sabah as well as migratory workers in Gulf countries who while largely entitled to citizenship under the jus sanguinis law of the Philippines yet are unable to prove their connection to the country.
5. The Philippines’ Pledges to End Statelessness
At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines pledged its commitment to the “protection of stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness in Sabah, through inter-[National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) Memoranda of Understanding (MoU)] on Statelessness”. The inter-NHRI MoU on Statelessness seeks to improve “policy and operational frameworks to ensure protection of the rights of stateless persons and persons at risk of statelessness in Sabah through cooperation between the National Human Rights Institutions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines”. It is also intended to enhance coordination and cooperation between the “Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, as an independent NHRI, and the Government of the Philippines in addressing issues of statelessness in Sabah with a human rights-based approach”.
The Government of the Philippines also submitted the below pledges during the High-Level Segment on Stateless in October 2019 where it committed:
- To enhance the policy, legal, and operational framework for stateless persons to ensure their full access to rights as guaranteed by the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons including their facilitated naturalization and as may be provided by national laws.
- To improve access of vulnerable and marginalized populations to documentation through birth and civil registration.
- To continue the study of statelessness, with a thrust to improve qualitative and quantitative data on populations at risk of statelessness in the Philippines and among its nationals, in continuation of efforts initiated in 2011.
- To continue the process of accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
- To continue leadership in Southeast Asia in the development of a human rights framework and provide technical support to other States in dealing with issues relating to stateless persons.
- To cooperate with UNHCR by supporting projects, continuing fund contributions, and by building or expanding partnerships.
So far, the Philippines has been successful in ratifying the 1961 Convention on statelessness.
