
Bienvenido Marañon is keeping a patient approach as he continues to wait for the completion of the naturalization process.
Football followers were wondering as to why Marañon’s naturalization was stalled after President Duterte signed a bill making Ateneo cager Ange Kouame a Filipino citizen earlier this week.
But the Spanish-born striker of Philippines Football League champion United City opted to stay optimistic that his time will eventually come.
“When I got the news, I know my papers weren’t on the President’s table so I was just waiting for him (Kouame),” Marañon said during his appearance in the 2OT podcast.
“After him (Kouame), it’s (going to be) my time so now we have to be quiet, we have to be calm and soon for sure it will be my time,” added Marañon.
The House of Representatives and Senate versions of both bills were actually passed at the same time.
But Kouame’s papers were transmitted to Malacanang last April 23 while the one for Marañon encountered delays in the lower chamber before concurring with the Senate version of the bill only this week.
The situation also prevented Marañon from being included in the 25-man squad of the Philippine Azkals for their Doha training camp held in preparation for the upcoming resumption of the World Cup/Asian Cup Qualifiers in Suzhou, China.
Once the bill is signed, Marañon plans to head straight to the Philippine consulate in Madrid to begin the necessary steps.
“Now we are all waiting for the signature of the president (and) I’m sure soon he will sign this one and then the last step to get the passport in my hand is to do the oath. I can do it in the Embassy of the Philippines here in Spain,” he said.
“(The Embassy) approved my request and they said yes so I’m just waiting for the papers of the president then I will go here to the Embassy of the Philippines in Madrid and I will do the oath. After that I will get the certificate and I can join Azkals,” added Marañon.