Banwa, officially the Republic of Banwa (Banwanon: Repúblika ra Banwa), is an archipelagic country located in Southeast Asia. It consists of 5,736 islands and shares maritime boundaries with Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Palau, and Nanhato. The country has two capitals; Mainaga, the legislative and executive capital, faces the South China Sea on the island of Pinaca; Polambató, the judicial capital, is located inland in the canton of Pili. With a population of over 60 million, Banwa is the 24th most populous country in the world, the 12th in Asia, and the 5th in Southeast Asia. Banwa is a multinational state, with its colorful history of colonization and immigration and over 500 ethnic groups scattered throughout the islands. It also possesses a globally significant degree biodiversity, possessing the center of the World Marine Reef System in the Banwati Sea off the canton of Matolos, alongside a sizeable number of protected landscapes and national parks.
Initially inhabited by the ancient Negritos and Atis, East Asian and Indian migrants began to populate the lands. Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished as local people groups began to absorb foreign influence, resulting in the establishment of fragmented city-states and sultanates. The archipelago was, for a significant chunk of its history, a valuable trading partner among ancient Southeast Asian kingdoms such as the Majapahit, Srivijaya, and the Sultanate of Brunei. In the early 4th and 5th centuries, large powers developed and consolidated in the archipelago, most notably the Mansúd and Ínsagun rajahnates on Pinaca and the Sultanate of Usmáng—all three of which would continue to play an influential role in Banwati history as a whole until they wavered during the colonial age. European powers came into play during the Age of Discovery. Although initially discovered by Dutch Armed Forces searching for more land, Spain was the leading colonizing power and western influence for Banwa, establishing the first Hispanic settlement, Isabela, in 1561. Despite lasting resistance and the persistence of other major religions and Animism, Catholicism became the main religion in the most densely-populated areas, and the colony became an integral part of the Spanish Empire as the Territory of the Spanish East Indies ("Territorio de las Indias Orientales Españolas"), encompassing the Banwati archipelago and most of Micronesia.
The Banwati Republic emerged as a successor state of the Spanish territory after the Tindóg Revolution from 1860 to 1863 led by Luis Brucál, who then became the first President of Banwa. This was followed by the organization of the state into cantons and municipalities with Mainaga as its capital. The judicial capital of Polambató was established later in the century. For the era, the first republic was comparatively democratic, with central political stability, vibrant economic growth, constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech, and respect for civil rights of its subjects. It also saw the first elected female head of state in history in the 1872 elections. The period consisted of the consolidation of the Banwati identity, with the establishment and creation of Banwanon—the national standardized Banwati language. It also strengthened its systems in the realm of healthcare and education, with the establishment of many universities and higher educational institutions. Despite this, the new republic faced extended but unsuccessful secessionist efforts and rebellions in an effort to separate non-Catholic regions from the new country.
A de facto military junta led by Carlos Ancheta ruled for over 12 years, during which the country suffered through an economic collapse and successive and widespread natural disasters such as an earthquake and tsunami, a volcanic eruption, and a famine. After the junta's deposition in a revolution in 1899, Banwa encountered a cultural renaissance and experienced a pronounced economic boom and period of prosperity with massive infrastructure projects such as the expansion and rehabilitation of the Banwati State Railways. From the late 1900s to the 1910s, Banwa would oversee the Nanhati independence movement. Encompassing the Mariana Islands, the western Caroline Islands, and Palau (all of which at the time belonged to the canton of Palaós), the republic supported its right to self-determination and established the Marasigan Commission for the process of independence. As the Banwati government gradually devolved governmental functions to the Nanhati Provisional Government, however, the island was seized and forcefully annexed by the Japanese Empire during World War I.
Banwa would enter yet another turbulent period due to the Great Depression, suffering economically due to massive spending on infrastructure and facing growing sociopolitical unrest over poor economic conditions and severe unemployment. The period of widespread protests and political violence in 1931 was followed by a period of economic rebound and relative stability. During World War II, the Japanese invasion of the islands resulted in a brief and limited puppet state that was eventually overthrown during the Liberation of Banwa in 1945. After the removal of the authoritarian regime of Japanese puppet Santiago Furio that year, the country once again began to move towards democratization. It is during the immediate post-war era that Banwa is noted to begin near-constant economic growth for the first time since 1928. In the height of the Cold War, Banwa became the destination for hundreds of thousands of immigrants amid the political instability within the region, most notably the Khmer Rogue and the Vietnam War, the latter of which was strongly opposed by neutralist president Salvadór Yap. In 1974, his capture and imprisonment in an American-backed coup d'état strained relations between the republic and the United States. Hilario Manhimagat, his successor and the leader of the coup d'état, was overthrown within two days of taking office in the December Revolution that year and was exiled to Arizona. Since then, the country has been in a period of internal piece and consistent growth and prosperity.
According to the World Bank, Banwa has the largest economy in Southeast Asia, the fourth in Asia overall, and the 8th in the world; in 2023, it fell just short of France but was ahead of Brazil. After the end of the Furio regime in 1945, Banwa transformed into a liberalized free-trade economy and has had one of the fastest-growing economies in the East. The real GDP growth rate of the Banwati economy in the past 35 years reached 6.4%, with the peak year at 1994 with a growth rate of 8.3% — the highest in the world at the time. The trend of rapid growth continued, with growth rates in 2017 and 2018 reaching 7.2% and 7.3%, respectively. This was spurred by tourism, construction, clean energy, and the movement of industries from mainly agricultural to mainly service-based and manufacturing, although the republic is still a significant player in the world’s rice, coconut, and aquacultural markets. Its economy is also boosted by scientific, medical, educational, and cultural tourism. Despite its tumultuous history, Banwa has begun to lead world rankings in the Human Development Index, quality of life, protection of civil liberties, education and healthcare, and sustainable well-being after the December Revolution. It has led the human rights movement in the East and has legalized cannabis, universal marriage, and abortion. Banwa is a founding member of the United Nations (UN), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Non-Aligned Movement, World Trade Organization, and the World Bank.
Etymology[]
The country derives its name from the Banwanon word banwa, which itself comes from a common word in the Northern Pinacan language family; banwa or banua (“village” or “town”). The word banwa is also common in other Banwati languages though it holds various meanings, such as in Cansilayon where banwa means “sky”.
The term banwa being used to refer to the archipelago began as early as the 1820s, coinciding with the calls for the cession of the then colony of the Spanish East Indies from Spain. This proved to be popular among revolutionary and reformist forces, with militants in the Cry of Pulong Luntian, the event that ultimately started the Tindog Revolution, chanting “Lucha por nuestra República de Banwa” (“fight for our Republic of Banwa”). Banwa was also used by the Hugpong and Radicalización movements, which solidified the identity of the country as Banwa. The Anawangin Congress, led by Luis Brucal, proclaimed the independence of the República Banwaiana (“Banwaian Republic”) on February 15, 1862. However, all the successors of the first republic used Repúblika ra Banwa (“Republic of Banwa”) as the full official name.
History[]
Prehistory[]
Cailaliman Cave, where the earliest hominid remains were found, is located in Ampusngan, Bagras.
The oldest remains of modern human was found in the Cailaliman Cave on the island of Pinaca, in the forests of the canton of Bagras. These are dated between 35,000 ± 26,000 years ago, although the oldest evidence of early hominids living in the archipelago are dated to approximately 600,000 years ago. These remains are presumably from a Negrito, as is another set of remains at the Dangkula Cave on the island of Matolos Grande, dated to 20,000 years ago. Negritos are among the first groups of humans to regularly inhabit the archipelago, arriving at the landmass during the Last Glacial Period between 115,000 – 11,700 years ago when now sunken isthmuses connected the archipelago to mainland Asia through Sundaland.
Atis, the descendants of the Negritos, began to populate the islands along with the first Austronesians that arrived at approximately 2000 BC. They first settled the northern areas of Pinaca, rapidly spreading southward to the rest of the archipelago and to the rest of Southeast Asia. Archaeological evidence also indicated the migrations of Austroasiatic, Papuan, and South Asian people groups. These peoples assimilated with the existing populations of Atis and Austronesians, which over time led to various ratios of genetic mixture in modern Banwati ethnic groups. Lowland settlements began to form the foundations of the first civilizations in modern day Banwa, with weapons and tools made out of tusks and jade artifacts having been found dated to 1800 BC. These communities began to evolve and by 1000 BC, port principalities populated the coasts. Other types of communities that began to flourish in Banwa prior to the age of trading with neighboring powers include hunter-gatherer tribes, highland plutocracies, and warrior societies.
Traders and settlers from China and India arrived as early as the second century AD, making contact with the local polities and establishing coastal towns and lowland communities. Trade with China, believed to have begun during the Tang dynasty, grew more extensive during the Song dynasty and also included participation in the tributary system. Indian cultural traits began to spread within Banwa during the 10th century, including religious practices and linguistic terms. The local communities slowly began to convert to Hinduism and Buddhism. These settlements, now trading with the Hindu Majapahit kingdom, began to flourish and grow in size due to ideal agricultural conditions and the mastering of wet-field rice cultivation. On the island of Bayawan, the Hindu Bayua kingdom was founded as a tributary state of the Majapahit kingdom, and Hindu influence began to spread along the eastern coast of Pinaca.
The influence of the Majapahit kingdom facilitated the rise and fall of Hindu polities on Banwa, most notably the Bayua kingdom which left behind grand religious structures such as the Muntilan temple. The earliest evidence of Islamized populations in the archipelago dates to the 12th century on the southern island of Guindanao. The Sultanate of Usmang was established in southern Banwa in the 13th century, which began to spread thereafter. The Mansad rajahnate also began to play a major role in the sociopolitical sphere of the Banwati archipelago, consolidating power on the lowlands of Pinaca and fending off Muslim conquests in 15th century AD. The Insagun rajahnate, near the present day capital of Mainaga, also began to grow in power, becoming a client polity of Mansad and facilitating further trade with other Southeast Asian powers. The various significant polities on Banwa gave way to wars and conquests, most especially between the rajahnates of Pinaca and the Sultanate of Usmang in the south. This kept the states from fully unifying, along with harsh terrain and the frequency of typhoons and inclement weather which also kept population density somewhat low.
Colonial era (1531-1864)[]
After a skirmish with the Dutch Armed Forces, Romano Armenteros Nogales and his crew, under loyalty to the Spanish crown, discovered the island of Basud and made contact with the local chiefdoms on February 26, 1531. After trading with the locals and an unsuccessful attempt to convert the local chief to Christianity, they left on March 17 of that year. In a bid to reach Malacca, his crew began to voyage southward, making contact with more settlements and small city-states. In mid-May, the crew landed on the shores within the Rajahnate of Balinao, whose chieftain, Rajah Aluy, welcomed them with warmth. He, his wife Napa, and their children were baptized on May 30, 1531, becoming the first native Catholics of the country. Nogales and his crew left shortly after, encountering the Hindu kingdom of Bayua, before being confronted by the Sultanate of Usmang. The Battle of Cabuntag ensued in late June which resulted in a decisive victory for the sultanate, the death of Nogales, and the retreat of his crew, with their fleet of vessels reduced from seven to just one. His crew and their findings, documented by his right-hand man Josefino Cristiano de Todos los Santos, were given to the Spanish crown upon their return in September 1532.
19th century artist's depiction Nogales' death at the hands of Usmanit warriors.
After the voyage of Nogales and his crew, more explorers and settlers arrived as the 16th century progressed, mostly noblemen and prominent clans from Mexico and Latin America under Spanish loyalty. Established on 1561 by Lucio Perez de los Angeles, the first Hispanic settlement was named Isabela, at the present canton of Dangitan. His group then traveled to the present site of the city of Mainaga and established the early settlement of San Patricio de Irlanda on March 17 of that year, despite hostilities with the local Rajahnate of Insagun. Other noblemen settled in different pockets of lands, with Acapulco-born Justiniano Loreto Melendez establishing the city of San Remigio in the Escondido peninsula and prominent New World crop businessman Teodoro de Silva settling the central plains and establishing the town of Vallehermoso. Due to its favorable location for trade and other economic activities, San Patricio de Irlanda slowly evolved to become a more prominent site in the new Spanish colony, eventually growing in population and being renamed to Mainaga, after the nearby trading post of Ma-ynag, in 1597.
As a result of influential and far-reaching Spanish rule, the formerly fragmented city-states of the archipelago—especially on the low-lying plains of Pinaca—were united under a single political entity through continuous conquest and invasions. Despite this, the colonial forces made sluggish progress in development and expansion, as the difficult terrain of the islands proved challenging. This, combined with the turbulent weather on the archipelago due to its position in the Pacific, caused the colony to not be as profitable as other possessions of the Spanish crown. Remnants of past rajahnates across the Pinaca lowlands also contributed to frequent internal struggles within the new colony, with many revolts initiated by the followers of Rajah Kulim of Insagun in the 1570s. Regardless, the regular trip of Remigene galleons brought military enforcements, goods, and settlers to Banwa along with spices, crops, and supplies on the return voyage to Latin America, and these efforts were steadily quashed by Spain. In 1585, San Remigio became the capital of the Territory of the Spanish East Indies, which included the present-day Carolines and Marshall Islands, Guam, and Palau. Starting in 1580, the archipelagic territory was governed by the Spanish crown through the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico.
Distant towns and villages were organized by the colonial government into municipalities, each with its own parish to convert as many natives as possible by the local Christian movements. This proved to be difficult and costly, however, as persistent revolt and lasting commitment to respective local folk religions limited the reach of Roman Catholicism within the colony. The Sultanate of Usmang continued to battle with the Spanish forces and kept the island of Guindanao largely isolated outside of areas already deforested by the colonialists. The island of Bayawan just offshore of Guindanao became a fortress and a haven for the local Hindus. This continuous difficulty in the south resulted in only the low-lying areas and plains encompassing the present region located north of Siyam as the only majority-Catholic regions by the end of Spanish rule in 1864. For hundreds of years under Spanish rule, non-Christian majority regions and the mountainous and forested areas of the islands served as refuge for non-Catholics who were otherwise persecuted in the developed Christian settlements.
The Spanish considered their tensions with the Moro Muslims and the Bayua Hindus in the southwestern portion of the archipelago as an extension of the Reconquista. Due to frequent Moro raids, the Spanish constructed a network of forts across the lands, along with establishing the Naval Force of Spain in the Pacific (“Fuerza Naval del España en el Pacifico") in 1738; the colonial navy. These helped them fend off enemy states from invading, such as a failed British takeover of the regions of San Remigio and Ginsagon in 1765, along with repelling Dutch attempts to invade the western regions of Pinaca. Due to repeated attempts at a siege by Moro invaders in the mid-18th century, the capital of the Spanish East Indies was subsequently moved from San Remigio to to Mainaga in 1779. Mainaga was thought to be in a safer geological position than San Remigio, situated opposite the mouth of the Pinagi Gulf as well as being protected by a peninsula. A few years prior to the move, the Spanish constructed an elaborate network of fortresses around the area of Mainaga, which still stands today.
Plaza Marta, Mainaga in the 1790s. An illustration by Cristobál Rojas.
The opening of the ports of the Spanish East Indies to world trade in the second quarter of the 18th century started shifting cultural and demographical outlook in the archipelago. Numerous towns were constructed in the style of buildings around a central plaza with churches built to withstand the numerous earthquakes that frequently plagued the islands. The rate of trade increased and more settlers came to the territory. Hacienderos, now with a bigger labor force, became rich as the mixed and wealthy natives earned government posts. Despite this growth in prosperity, however, Spanish rule was marred with widespread corruption among Catholic clergymen—the frailes. This was combined with brutal conquests in the resistant Muslim and Hindu regions, the worst of these being the Usmanit massacres of the 1820s which were led by then-governor-general Cristobal Arguelles.
Following Mexican independence in 1821, the archipelago began to be governed directly from Madrid as the Protectorate of the Spanish East Indies. Generally, after Mexican independence, the colony began to serve as a substantial drain for the Spanish economy, with many movements and debates initiated to trade it off for another territory or to simply expel it from the Spanish sphere of influence. However, the Spanish crown clung onto the archipelago, citing economic and militaristic potential; instead, the territory would be given an annual subsidy from the Spanish crown for sustenance. This backfired, however, as the succeeding war with pro-independence forces of Banwa became a major point of economic contention among Spanish opposition forces in the Glorious Revolution of 1868 which deposed Queen Isabella II of Spain.
In the wake of the Latin American wars for independence in the early 19th century, Banwatis were introduced to nationalistic ideas and the clamor for an independent Banwa increased. Tensions rose and many grassroots indigenous uprisings such as the 1837 Bitaog mutiny were quickly thwarted by the ruling Spanish, except for the Catindig uprising in 1853 — which would later evolve into the main arm of the Banwati independence movement. It was also this period which saw the establishment of the Radicalización movement by prominent Banwatis, such as Andres Estrella, Catrin Veloso, Ricardo Busa, and Victorino Tamayo. Collectively known as the Upat ka mangubat (“Four Fighters”), they fought for socioeconomic reforms, the end to the rule of the corrupt Spanish, and Banwati self-determination. Tragically, out of the main four, only Busa would see an independent Banwa alive or free; Estrella and Veloso were executed by the Spanish colonial government on charges of high treason and Tamayo would be placed on house arrest at San Remigio in October 1863 before dying in a localized smallpox outbreak.
Luis Brucál, a native-born writer and former miembro del consejo (“council member”) of the municipality of Malabayabas in Catindig, had been financing underground revolutionary forces and other pro-independence movements since a revolt in 1857 that was inspired by the 1853 Catindig uprising. On 28 April 1859, he formed the Hugpong; an underground militant group which aimed to thwart the Spaniards through armed revolt. Due to mounting violence in urban areas as a result of mounting pressure and dissatisfaction, the Peninsulares (those from mainland Spain) and the Insulares (Spanish officials and high-ranking politicians born in Banwa), allied with the Spanish colonial forces, buckled down on unrest in the archipelago. The massacre of a large group of indigenous leaders from all over Pinaca gathering at Plaza Marta in Mainaga to protest Spanish land-grabbing culminated in the 1859 January mutiny. This incident, which had killed many important trade leaders and native businessmen in many regions, radicalized many who had previously been loyal to Spain. As a result, many Spanish-allied leaders and influential local figures began to defect one-by-one from colonial authorities to align with pro-Banwati independence forces over the next year.
The Battle of Mansud on September 1, 1861 was one of two battles during the Dangitan-Lipote siege that resulted in a Banwati victory. Painting by Josefino Abalos.
Aided by the Radicalización movement, decades of political tension and unrest boiled over and sparked the Tindog Revolution. Led by Brucál, the revolution began as a massive protest movement on June 24, 1860 with the Cry of Pulong Luntian. Successive strikes by the working class and farming cooperatives began to weaken the economy in late 1860. The Spanish colonial government, then under governor-general Apolonio Camino, began to crack down on dissenters, resulting in many human rights abuses. In early 1861, cuervos—spies disguised as farm workers—were distributed across the countryside and report back to local gobernadorcillos insulares (village leaders). Towns and villages suspected of harboring sympathizers to the revolutionaries were systematically razed to the ground. As it became increasingly clear that the Spanish colonial government would not recognize either a Banwati republic or the demonstrators’ other calls for socioeconomic reforms, many colonial structures and government buildings were in return razed by pro-independence forces in August 1861 in the Buan na Makalayo (“month of fire”). The Dangitan-Lipote siege from late August to early September, one of the deadliest events during the revolution, was retaliation by the Spaniards for repeated arson upon the colonial government edifices in the cities. This spurred the armed leg of the revolution.
In early September 1861, small factions of the Hugpong decided to detach from the group, citing differences in objectives, and causing infighting among the revolutionaries. The largest group, later dubbed the Brucalistas, formed the majority of the revolutionary forces, along with other bands of troops and manpower sent from all over the archipelago fighting in a series of battles. They formed the short-lived Tindog Republic on November 16, 1861 — the first and only revolutionary government that would be widely recognized among the pro-independence circle. Eventually, the defecting groups would return, mostly restoring unity within the Hugpong faction. The Anawangin Congress, led by Brucál and his armed forces along with representatives of all the territorial provinces and ethnic leaders, declared the independence of República Banwaiana or the Banwaian Republic on 15 February 1862. The Tindog Revolution was fought until almost two years later in 12 December 1863, when the Spanish armed forces, incurring massive casualties, surrendered to the Banwatis after the Battle of Pinagi Gulf. By the end of December, the rebels had gained control of nearly all of the territory of the former Spanish East Indies, with the exception of small settlements to where the Spanish forces had retreated to.
First republic (1864-1899)[]
The Banwati Republic (Spanish: República Banwaiana, Banwanon: Banwaianang Republika) became the first iteration of a modern Banwa and the first constitutional republic in Asia. The constitution, having been created during the revolution, was popularly ratified on 20 January 1864, with the very first elections being held just under three weeks later on the 5th of February. Spain would recognize Banwati independence in 8 March 1871, just over seven years after the first election, with other international and regional powers following suit.
Luis Brucál, the first president of the republic, won the 1864 elections in a landslide and served a single four-year term. Brucál's government was marred with various separatist movements, a tattered northern region, and external military challenges. Dutch and British forces continued to attempt to invade the country, with the colonial English military successfully occupying a portion of western Cabatuan for 26 days in 1865. However, they were quickly expelled in the three day Mutiny of Alpaco, and subsequent attempts were promptly vanquished. This was coupled with unrest in the majority-Hindu region of Bayawan, which briefly desired to leave the republic and led to sporadic periods of tension in late 1866. He also saw the Usmanit uprising in May 1867, an effort to separate the Moro Muslim Sultanate of Usmang from the newly-formed republic. While this movement was swiftly quashed by the Brucál administration, it consequently sparked the Usmanit Rebellion—an extended conflict that varied in intensity between secessionist forces in the region and the secular central government. The conflict lasted from the Usmanit uprising of May 1867 and ended in 1871, after the Balinao Accords.
Despite these military setbacks, the Brucál administration was able to vastly improve and expand public infrastructure throughout the republic after the revolution. Many towns and cities had been burned to the ground in the lowlands, and Brucál enlisted his cabinet—many of which were his acquaintances and allies during the revolution—to facilitate the reconstruction movement. He also called on Banwatis in Europe and elsewhere to return and serve the country, in a bid to enrich the Banwati workforce with more doctors, educators, administrators, and other workers in a campaign called Pauli na (“return home”). Many businesses were established at this time, which began to expand the middle class especially in lowland urban areas. About 413 learning institutions also opened under the Brucál administration, opening up public education to children of the middle and lower classes. As a result, the literacy of Banwati students began to skyrocket in Spanish, then the lingua franca of the country. By the end of the Brucál government in 1868, it was at 81%. Despite his popularity among the Banwatis, he opted out of re-election in 1868.
One of Vanimelda's largest agricultural programs was promoting the creation of rice terraces for more efficient agricultural land-use.
While conflict in the region of Bayawan had mostly dissipated, forces loyal to the then-dissolved Sultanate of Usmang continued to cause social unrest on the island of Guindanao. Towards the end of Vanimelda’s term however, he was able to facilitate the historic 1871 Balinao Accords. It introduced peacekeeping efforts in the Guindanao region and a smooth integration into Banwa in exchange for economic development programs on the island, the unrestricted participation of Muslims in the secular central government, and codified explicit protection of the right to practice one’s own religion and beliefs. It was signed by Vanimelda and Sultan Maka-alang Saripada—the last Sultan of Usmang—on 23 March 1871 in the city of Balinao. While the Balinao Accords did not immediately put an end to sociopolitical unrest, the joint agreement began to facilitate the expansion of agricultural development to the island of Guindanao and expand the Banwati Transport Network southward. By 1885, the Canton of Guindanao (which then comprised the entirety of the island) was one of the richest regions of Banwa, with a powerful agricultural workforce and thriving settlements which became the central hub of the Islam world in Southeast Asia.
Felisa Dayao's portrait as president in 1872 by Anatoli Esposito. She became the first female head of state in the world after the historic 1872 election.
Brucál, Vanimelda, and Dayao’s presidencies are collectively known as the Bruvanda era (Brucál, Vanimelda, Dayao), as they are historically recognized as the most prominent presidents who set the baseline for the modern Banwati republic. Their terms saw swift economic growth across the board, rapid industralization and spread of urban sprawl, and a manifestation of a more centralized and unified Banwati identity. By 1878, in an area of the world with rampant colonialism, Banwa’s economy had almost matched that of an average developed country at 93%. During that same year, Banwa’s per capita income was 30% higher than Japan’s and 110% higher than Thailand’s. The national railroad mileage had increased from 83 km before independence to 23,914 km in 1880, and by the end of the Dayao administration, Banwa was one of the world’s top ten exporters.
The Ferrocaril de Mainaga a Garawon, pictured here in the early 1880s, is the precursor to the present Banwa State Railways.
The fraudulent 1888 general election resulted in Ancheta’s allies occupying various high-ranking seats in the government. Social unrest began to grow in urban areas of the archipelago and the Anchetine junta began to censor various media outlets and politicians belonging to the leftist opposition. With both the lower and the upper house mostly consisting of pro-Ancheta members, the junta was considered to rule by decree, with the Banwati Congress acting as a “rubber stamp.” In 1889, the Makatugsa Act was passed, which allowed the police and the military to interrogate and arrest any individual they considered to be “of harm to the stability of the state.” Between 1889 and 1898, approximately 50,463 persons disappeared, and about 2,162 were killed. Included among the missing are Ricardo Busa and former senator Araceli Ponce.
The aftermath of the military's crackdown on protesters in a Mainaga street on February 6, 1892.
Alongside continued political suppression and a slow economy, successive widespread disasters struck Banwa during the 1890s; the 1894 Great South China Sea earthquake and tsunami, and the 1895 eruption of Mount Talisayan, which resulted in the 1896-1897 Anchetine famine. Cumulatively, the disasters killed between 200,000 to 400,000 civilians and shattered industries and the economy. Many vital transport links were destroyed or damaged, cutting off thousands of families needing urgent care and response. Hospitals around the country were quickly overwhelmed, worsened by the large number of medical caregivers and doctors injured or killed in the disasters themselves. Slow and inadequate government response worsened the existing humanitarian crisis, leading to significant migration from the country. Despite the sociopolitical damage, the Anchetine junta continued political suppression, imprisoning dissenters under the guise of “protecting order to facilitate recovery”. The disappearance and death of a group of student activists from Mainaga State University after a protest in mid-1898 would eventually cause social unrest to tip over the boiling point, leading to the bloody Revolution of the Century (Kilusan ra Siglo), generally referred to as Kilusan.
Starting out as a mass protest movement on July 11, 1898, violence escalated as the government retaliated fatally with the Bagalangit bombings in August. Revolutionary forces and protesters were converted into guerrilla troops, destabilizing the countryside and recruiting able-bodied adults to aid in their cause. Inéng Ciangbigái emerged as the armed movement’s leader and figurehead after she led a number of successive battles against the National Army in September. As the guerrilla army closed in on the capital, the Anchetine junta began to offer bounties for the heads of any and all revolutionaries and suspected sympathizers. In May 1899, they also created a clandestine agreement with military generals to reserve political seats for them should they succeed in meeting a quota for revolutionaries killed. This resulted in the June 1899 Siege of Pinagkrusan—a revolutionary stronghold razed to the ground by the military, resulting in thousands of deaths.
Celebrations in Hondagua after the conclusion of the revolution on Christmas Day 1899.
Government and politics[]
Banwa is a unitary republic with a presidential system. The government's structure is determined by the 1900 Banwati Constitution. Like many democratic states, Banwa has a government divided into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive and legislative branches operate primarily at the national level, although various departments in the executive branch also carry out local functions. The judicial branch operates at both the national and local levels. The local governments of Banwa, most notably the cantonal governments, are semi-autonomous and contain executive and legislative bodies of their own.
The president (Pangulo) serves as both the head of state and the head of government, and the director of policy-making, domestic governance, and foreign affairs. They are also the commander-in-chief of the Banwati Armed Forces (Sandatahang Lakas ra Banwa). The president also forms and presides over the National Cabinet of Banwa (Kabunsang Gabinete ra Banwa). A vice president (Pangligi) serves alongside the president, who can also serve as a member of the cabinet as negotiated with the president. Both are elected by a quadrennial nationwide election, with the capability to serve a maximum of two four-year terms—consecutive or not.
Legislature[]
Banwa consists of a bicameral legislature—the Senate (Dawan ra Bunsa, lit. House of the Nation) as the upper house, and the House of Representatives (Dawan ra Katauhan, lit. House of the People).
The Senate is composed of 116 members with two senators (katulung) from each canton, with each senator capable of serving up to two four-year terms. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is, as of 2023, composed of 323 members. Each of the 58 cantons are divided into three congressional districts entitled to one to three representatives (kinatawan) each. The number of representatives for each district within a canton is determined by its population; cantons below 1 million have single-member districts, cantons above 1 million have dual-member districts, and cantons above 2 million have triple-member districts. After each census cycle, the number of representatives for cantonal districts are changed as needed with the new total number of recorded population. 258 district representatives will serve alongside an additional 65 members from party-list groups, which are designed for dedicated sectoral representation for marginalized communities. The number of sectoral seats in the lower house must be 25% of the total congressional district seats. The division of these seats are decided according to the total number of party-list votes and the proportion of the votes of each party per election cycle. Unlike senators, representatives can serve a maximum of four two-year terms.
Judiciary[]
The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court of Banwa (Hukumang Tayug ra Banwa) in the city of Polambato. The central court was formerly based in Mainaga, before it was moved to Polambato following the Second World War. The supreme court is composed of a chief justice (Punong Hukom) as its presiding officer and 16 associate justices (Kasangguning Hukom). When a chief justice retires or is otherwise removed from power, an election is conducted by the associate justices to choose the new chief justice among themselves. The election is overseen by the Judicial Council of Banwa (Sangguniang Katuwiran ra Banwa). Upon the retirement of an associate justice, candidates voluntarily submit themselves to the Judicial Council of Banwa, who may either approve or reject them. Should they be approved, their appointment shall be confirmed by the president.
Along with the Supreme Court of Banwa, there are several other apex courts in the country. Most civil disputes appear before the State Court (Hukumang Kabunsaan) while appeals are heard before the Court of Appeals (Hukuman ra Panawagan). Other courts include the Constitutional Court (Hukumang Makayari) which listens to constitutional and political matters.
Direct democracy[]
Since the 1900 Constitution was ratified, there has been an element of direct democracy (Lakas ra Katauhan, lit. power of the people) from the village level up to the city and municipal level. However, under the Ba-ao administration in 1967, an amendment was passed wherein this practice began to be implemented up to the national level of government.
Banwa allows any legal citizen to challenge any law approved by the legislature or, at any time, propose a modification of the national Constitution. At the national level, in addition to quadrennial elections and mandatory referendums, voting can be organized for laws challenged by a citizen or a group of citizens that gathered 150,000 supporting signatures, and for national initiatives, which are constitutional amendments made by citizens and collected 225,000 supporting signatures. In the local level, a group of concerned citizens have the ability to challenge a law or amendment passed by the local government council by gathering a number of signatures predetermined by the council within 90 days. If this passes, an appropriate referendum is scheduled wherein voters belonging to the concerned local government unit can vote to approve or reject it with a simple majority.
The semi-direct democracy system of civic participation is unique in the East—the only other state in the world to exercise this system is Switzerland in Europe. Proponents of the 1900 Constitution based this system on Switzerland during its creation, with Inéng Ciangbigái crediting direct citizen participation as the key to its success and stability. This system is also said to be the main driving force behind Banwa’s post-war socioeconomic advancement. Effects of crises were frequently hampered by swift citizen initiatives, most notably seen in the 1974 assertion.
Administrative divisions[]
Banwa is composed of 58 cantons (dakbayan), which are the first-level administrative divisions. Each canton is divided into cities (lungsod) and municipalities (gawad), which are themselves divided into villages (purok). The co-capitals, Mainaga and Polambato, are administered at the cantonal level and are referred to as special cities (lungsod inila), although they are still counted at the municipal level as part of their respective cantons. All local administrative positions such as cantonal governor (panguna dakbayan) are elected bi-annually in conjunction with midterm and general Banwati elections.
Banwa is a unitary state; thus, the administrative functions of the executive branch of government are divided into three levels: national, cantonal, and municipal. All 58 cantons are grouped into 12 regions (lupon) for administrative convenience.
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23. Binuya |
29. Antipolo |
34. Alabel | |
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38. Almaciga |
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49. Bagawak |
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This article is a work in progress.