MANILA, Philippines -- The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas on Friday expressed its gratitude after the bill granting Filipino citizenship to Justin Brownlee was signed into law.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday approved the bill granting the much-loved Barangay Ginebra import Filipino citizenship.

Brownlee now only needs to acquire a Philippine passport and make an oath of allegiance to the country before he can suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in international competitions.

"It is with much gratitude that the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, led by our Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, welcomes the naturalization of Justin Brownlee in time for the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers next month," SBP President Al Panlilio said.

• READ: Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee now a Filipino citizen
• READ: POC expects Brownlee to suit up for Gilas in SEA Games

Brownlee is expected to make his debut in the sixth and final window of the qualifiers, where the Philippines will host Lebanon and Jordan on Feb. 24 and 27, respectively.

Both games will be held at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, also said last week that he expects Brownlee to lead Gilas Pilipinas' charge in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia in May.

There, the Philippines will try to reclaim the gold medal after a shock defeat to Indonesia last year in Hanoi, Vietnam.

"The SBP wishes to thank profoundly the President for signing into law Republic Act 11739," said Panlilio.

"We also are grateful to the Senate, through Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and the House of Representatives, through Rep. Juliet Marie de Leon Ferrer, chairman of the Committee on Justice, for their invaluable support in passing the legislative act," he added.

Brownlee is currently in the closing stretch of Ginebra's campaign in the 2022 PBA Commissioners' Cup, as they play the Bay Area Dragons in Game 7 of the Finals on Sunday.

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