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Football: Bienvenido Marañón officially a Filipino citizen

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News 

<div> </div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/12/02/football_ucfc_bienvenido-maranon.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATED) United City FC striker Bienvenido Marañón is now officially a Filipino citizen, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11570 into law.</p><p>RA 11570 grants Philippine citizenship to Marañón, who was born in Spain but has played in the Philippines since 2015.</p><div style="max-width:77vh"><div style="left:0;width:100%;height:0;position:relative;padding-bottom:129.4118%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fsa.kapamilya.com%2Fabsnews%2Fabscbnnews%2Fmedia%2F2021%2Fsports%2F07%2F07%2Fra-no-11570.pdf" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0"></iframe></div></div><p>The Philippine Senate approved on third and final reading the bill granting Filipino citizenship to Marañón last March 15. However, the bill wasn&#x27;t signed by Duterte until July 2, and was made public on Wednesday, July 7.</p><p>Marañón thus missed the Philippine Azkals&#x27; campaign in the joint FIFA World Cup/AFC Asian Cup qualifiers last month.</p><p>Marañón will still have to take the Oath of Allegiance and register with FIFA before becoming eligible to play for the Azkals. But already, the striker is celebrating the milestone.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Ako ay Pilipino ❤️🇵🇭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/labanpilipinas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#labanpilipinas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/puso?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#puso</a> <a href="https://t.co/Lxo2i0yhhr">pic.twitter.com/Lxo2i0yhhr</a></p>— Bienve Marañon (@Bienvecadiz86) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bienvecadiz86/status/1412690235566215168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/15/21/senate-approves-citizenship-bids-of-ange-kouame-bienvenido-maraon">READ: Senate approves citizenship bids of Ange Kouame, Bienvenido Marañon</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/18/21/we-remain-patient-ph-football-body-laments-delay-in-maraon-naturalization">READ: PH football body laments delay in Marañon naturalization</a></li></ul><p>Despite the delay in his naturalization, Marañón is fully committed to the Azkals and to Philippine football, according to national team coach Scott Cooper.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s committed to the country, he travels around the country, spends a lot of time doing different things,&quot; Cooper said of the striker. </p><p>&quot;Football fans here need to know that this guy is totally committed to the country and doing well for the Azkals and the national team,&quot; he added.</p><p>In a statement, Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano &quot;Nonong&quot; Araneta expressed his gratitude that Marañón&#x27;s naturalization is now finalized.</p><p>&quot;We thank the leadership of the Philippine government for signing into law allowing football player Bienvenido Marañon to become a Filipino citizen,&quot; Araneta said.</p><p>&quot;He will be a vital asset for the Azkals in the coming years and has shown how much he loves the Philippines and is ready to represent the country,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/06/21/football-philippine-azkals-bienvenido-maranon-naturalized-player">READ: Bienvenido Marañón is fully committed to Azkals, says coach</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1688552" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>United City FC striker Bienvenido Marañón is now officially a Filipino citizen, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11570 into law.<br /> </p>

United City FC striker Bienvenido Marañón is now officially a Filipino citizen, after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11570 into law.

Football: Bienvenido Marañón officially a Filipino citizen

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Football: Bienvenido Marañón officially a Filipino citizen

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 07, 2021 04:52 PM PHT

|

Updated July 07, 2021 06:31 PM PHT

Read More:

football

Bienvenido Marañón

naturalization

United City FC

Philippine Azkals

Philippine Football Federation

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