IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR PHILIPPINE CITIZENSHIP; NESTORA EUFRACIA SONG SIONG HAY UY, PETITIONER AND APPELLEE, VS. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, OPPOSITOR AND APPELLANT.

This is an appeal taken by the
Solicitor General from a decision of the Court of First Instance of Misamis Occidental, granting the application for
naturalization of petitioner-appellee, Nestora Eufracia Song Siong Hay Uy. Appellant relies
upon several grounds of which only one need be taken up for the disposition of
the appeal. We refer to the question whether or not petitioner may be considered
as having a lucrative trade or occupation.

It is not disputed that she earns
no more than P1,440.00 a year or P120.00 a month. Even
if coupled with free board and lodging, such income is patently insufficient to
be considered lucrative for purposes of naturalization. Although in 1953 we
declared that a monthly salary of P80.00, plus board and lodging, sufficed for
said purpose (Lim vs.
Republic, G. R. No. L-4588, January 28, 1953), subsequent decisions, taking into
account the considerable increase in the cost of living, have, in effect,
reversed the aforementioned ruling (Ong Ling Chuan
vs. Republic, G. R. No. L-18550, February 28,
1964; Koh
Chet vs. Republic, G. R.
No. L-17223, June 30,
1964; Quinga Chua vs. Republic, G. R.
No. L-19695, October 31,
1964; Tse
vs. Republic, G. R.
No. L-19642,
November 9,
1964; Tan
vs. Republic, G. R. No. L-18242, December 24,
1963; Ong
vs. Republic, 111 Phil.,
1034).

WHEREFORE, without passing upon the other
questions raised in the appeal, the decision appealed from is hereby reversed
and appellee’s petition dismissed, with costs against
the petitioner.

IT IS SO
ORDERED.

Bengzon, C. J., Bautista Angelo, Reyes,
J.B.L., Barrera, Paredes, Regala, Makalintal, Bengzon, J.P. and Zaldivar, JJ., concur.