Honolulu, Hawaii — A centenarian took his oath of allegiance for the re-acquisition of his Filipino citizenship at the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu on March 7, 2019.
One hundred and two year old Quirino Aglibut Bajet, also known as Victor Aglibut Bajet, took his oath before Deputy Consul General Angelica C. Escalona.
During his oath-taking ceremony, Mr. Bajet became emotional, particularly as he sang the Philippine National anthem. His family said that he was very appreciative of the opportunity to become a Filipino citizen again.
The Filipino centenarian was born in Santa, Ilocos Sur on March 1, 1917. He migrated to the United States in March 1977, and became a U.S. citizen on April 13, 983.
According to his daughter Remedios Pabo, Mr. Bajet has maintained an attachment to his country of birth.
During his prime, he engaged in discussions with fellow Ilocanos in Hawaii. He developed the habit of listening to local radio programs broadcast in Ilocano, and continues to watch Filipino programs on television. His daughter said that he never lost his taste for Filipino dishes such as pinakbet and dinardaraan (dinuguan).
The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) informed the Consulate General that Mr. Bajet may qualify as a veteran centenarian under the Centenarians Act of 2016 upon reacquisition of Philippine citizenship.
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