Ruslabiyan Micronation
Republic of Ruslabya or Republiká Ruslabiya, Formerly known as Ruslavian Federation is a Micronation existing in the Visayas Islands, Philippines.
Republic of Ruslabya Republiká Ruslabiya | |
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  Flag
 Coat of arms
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| Motto: "United and Strong Republic" | |
| Anthem: "Hymn of Ruslabya" (Music Based on Aud Lang Syne, Lyrics by the Ministry of Propaganda) | |
 The Location of the Republic of Ruslabiya in the Asia-Pacific | |
| Status | Active |
| Capital | Concord Metropolitan |
| Administrative center | Concord Gov't District, Concord Metropolitan |
| Official languages | Hiligaynon, Filipino, English
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| Recognised national languages | Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Filipino, English |
| Ethnic groups | 90% Guimarasnons, 9% Panay mainlanders & 1% Indigenous peoples |
| Religion | •99% Christians (90% Roman Catholic, 6% Mormons, 3% Baptists, 1% Iglesia ni Kristo) •1% other non Christian religions |
| Demonym(s) | Ruslabyan (Ruslabiyan) |
| Government | Democratic Republic |
• President | Ramon Ychon |
• Prime-Minister | Angelus I |
| Legislature | The State Council |
| Establishment | 16 February 2010 |
• First Constitution Promlugated | 16 February 2016 |
• Republic Dissolved, Monarchy Established | February 16, 2017 |
• Military Coup | 16 February 2019 |
• Peoples Revolution | 23 October 2019 |
• Provisional Government Established | 24 October 2019 |
• Reinstatement of the Republic | 23 November 2019 |
• 3rd Republic Constitution promlugated | 21 June 2023 |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.14 km2 (0.054 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2022
census | 37 |
| Currency | Peso |
History
Republic of Ruslabya or Republiká Ruslabiya was founded on February 16 2010 by four young individuals, namely Ramon Ychon, John Zackhary and Hayme Rico with the oldest among them being 10 years old and the youngest only 4 years old. Hayme Rico, being the oldest among the founders, took control of the Government between 2010 and 2014 with Ramon Ychon as President, John Zachary as Prime Minister and him as the Special Assistant to the President. During the early years of Ruslabiya, there was no formal Legislative or Judiciary, and a Council was responsible for these functions. The Council was composed of members who were not in top government positions, and the powers of the Government were determined by age and knowledge rather than position. The hierarchical-authoritarian system was followed, where the oldest member held the power to control the Ruslabiyan government.
As the President and Prime-Minister of Ruslabiya were both minors, Hayme took on the responsibility of guiding them in their roles. Together, they were the de facto leaders of the young Government of Ruslabiya. However, despite having leaders, the Government was mostly a backyard roleplay in its early years, and its members had limited knowledge of how a government works.
In 2015, the first Ruslabiya Constitution was established, creating the first ever formal Government of Ruslabiya. Hayme, with the now older Ramon Ychon and John Zachary (three of them forming the Ruslabiyan Council) established the constitution, which created a more formal system in the Government of Ruslabiya. With the help of the constitution, a more structured and comprehensive government system was established, which helped Ruslabiya grow and develop over time.
FIRST REPUBLIC OF RUSLABIYA (2015-2017)
Following the establishment of Ruslabiya's first constitution that defines the functions of it's Government. Relative stability was observed on the Micronation. President Hayme Rico whom benefited the support of the people was surprisingly called by the people to serve as a Monarch. Republicans in Ruslabiya that time is relatively weak and people are more popularity driven rather than the real thing the Government should act upon. A month two years in the presidency and nearing the expiration of his term and on the ongoing calls for him to assume Monarchical position. He resigned and his sister Succeeded as President. During his sister's Presidency, the Congress with 5 members voted in favor of electing Former President Hayme Rico as Monarch of Ruslabiya. He did not decline and accepted the offer as a "voluntary and a call for duty by the people". Later on the Government drafted a Constitution placing in the later Empire of Ruslabiya.
REPUBLIC ABOLISHED (2017)
Following the establishment of the first Constitution of Ruslabiya, a formal system of governance was put in place. President Hayme Rico, who had been in office since the country’s independence, relinquished his position, paving the way for his sister, Nikolai Jane, to assume the presidency. Despite this smooth transition of power, concerns were raised by Prime Minister Ramon Ychon, who felt that Nikolai Jane might not be up to the task of leading the nation.
In 2016, the demand for a monarchy gained traction, with many in the country pushing for a change from the current republican system. The Congress, led by the Speaker and former President Hayme, deliberated on this issue and ultimately decided to issue a proclamation announcing the dissolution of the Republic and the establishment of the Imperial State. In a surprising turn of events, President Nikolai Jane agreed to the transition, and Ruslabiya became a monarchy.
Hayme Rico was chosen to become the Head of State and was conferred with the title of Emperor or "Czar" of the Imperial Ruslabiya. During his reign, he oversaw a number of significant changes in the country, including economic growth and the strengthening of diplomatic ties with neighboring nations. Prime Minister Ramon Ychon continued to serve in his position until the conclusion of the monarchy, working closely with the Emperor to ensure a smooth and successful transition for the nation.
THE MONARCHY (2017-2019)
Between 2017 and 2019, Ruslabiya was a constitutional monarchy, with Hayme Rico serving as the Emperor of Imperial Ruslabiya and Ramon Ychon as the Prime Minister. During this time, a Constitution was created to formalize the Imperial Government, with the Prime Minister's title being President of the Imperial Council. Additionally, an Imperial Legislative Assembly was established to assist in the governance of the monarchy, which ran smoothly for its first few years.
However, a constant threat of power grabs by the Armed Forces loomed over the monarchy. This threat finally materialized on 16th February 2019, exactly two years after the establishment of the Monarchy, when General Yuri initiated a coup. In this coup, Emperor Hayme Rico was forced to abdicate, and Prime Minister Ramon Ychon and the rest of the sitting Imperial Government were removed from power.
Following the coup, General Yuri established a Military Junta Government, which lasted from 16th February until 23rd October 2019. This period was marked by significant political turmoil, with the Junta Government facing widespread criticism and protests from the public. Ultimately, the Military Junta Government was dissolved, and a new government was established in Ruslabiya.
MILITARY COUP & MILITARY GOV'T UNDER GENERAL YURI (16 FEB - 23 OCT 2019)
On the morning of February 16th, the citizens of Ruslabiya were preparing to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Monarchy. However, their celebration was abruptly interrupted by a Coup d'état initiated by the Imperial Armed Forces, led by General Yuri. The coup resulted in the forced abdication of Emperor Hayme Rico, and the subsequent deposition of Prime-Minister Ramon Ychon and the Imperial Government.
General Yuri wasted no time in declaring the dissolution of the Monarchy and the establishment of a Transitional Military Government, with the aim of re-establishing the Republic. However, the Military Leadership was met with widespread anger and hatred from the public, who were not pleased with the sudden and forceful change in leadership. Furthermore, General Yuri himself had aspirations to remain in power for a long time, which only added to the public's distrust and resentment towards him.
The deposed Emperor, Hayme Rico, expressed his desire not to be reinstated as Monarch, even if the forces of Ramon Ychon were successful in defeating the Military Junta. He believed that his leadership had ended with the coup, and that it was time for a new government to take the reins.
After months of political turmoil and unrest, the forces of Ramon Ychon finally succeeded in capturing the Government Office where the Military Leadership had placed their headquarters. General Yuri and his Military Government were subsequently removed from power, and the Republic was officially reinstated. It was a moment of relief and hope for the citizens of Ruslabiya, who had endured months of uncertainty and instability.
PEOPLE'S REVOLUTION & PROVISIONAL GOV'T (23 OCTOBER - 23 NOVEMBER 2019)
The Forces of Ramon Ychon, a group of rebels who sought to restore democracy to their country, successfully overthrew General Yuri and his Military Junta, who had ruled Ruslabiya with an iron fist for years. After the coup, General Yuri immediately declared the establishment of the Provisional Government of Ruslabiya and the creation of the Constitution of Ruslabiya. However, he was quickly forced to be exiled from Ruslabiya to a town in Iloilo Province, while all of the collaborators of the General Yuri Regime were later pardoned and offered positions in the Provisional Government.
Ramon Ychon, as the Provisional President, made it clear that the goal of the new government was to establish a democratic system in Ruslabiya, saying that "...Ruslabiya finally returned to Democracy and the task that was placed upon us is to establish a Democratic System...". One month after the coup, on November 23rd, the New Republic was proclaimed with Ramon Ychon as President and John Zachary as Prime-Minister, marking a new era of hope and progress for the people of Ruslabiya.
THE SECOND REPUBLIC AND THIRD REPUBLIC (2019-2023, 2023-)
The Second Republic of Ruslabiya was established with the democratic election of Ramon Ychon as the President of the Republic and John Zachary as the Prime Minister. However, the new government faced several challenges in its early days, such as the need to maintain a constitution and a functional government, the inactivity of some members, attacks by other groups on the Micronation, red tagging, and various other issues.
Over the course of three years, Ruslabiya had to deal with 17 different constitutions and 20 different governments, which caused a great deal of instability within the Micronation. The constant changes in government and constitution led to a number of Constitutional Crises, self-coups, coups, and even a civil war. Despite these challenges, the administration of Ramon Ychon did their utmost to preserve Ruslabiya, and they succeeded in implementing a new constitution that promised to maintain stability and avoid further constitutional changes.
As Ruslabiya entered the international Micronational stage, they met and established relations with various other Micronations. They joined the Association of Micronational Pacific Islands (AMPI) and cooperated with its member states. The Ruslabiyan government also made an effort to interact with other Micronations through online Micronational groups. By doing so, they hoped to foster a stronger connection with the international Micronational community and promote greater understanding and cooperation among different nations.
In recent years, the small nation of Ruslabiya has been plagued by instability and political turmoil. The constant changing of government and coups have left the country in a state of chaos. In the wake of President Ramon Ychon's resignation after a two-year term, his Minister, Lance Peter I, took over the role. Unfortunately, his leadership only worsened the situation, leading to his eventual resignation.
Fearing total collapse, Ramon Ychon reassumed the post of President and sought the advice of fellow Micronations and local advisors to help stabilize the country. However, Ruslabiya became increasingly isolated due to the instability, and President Ychon knew that drastic action was needed.
Under his leadership, the government established a new Constitution to finally stabilize the Micronation. During the preparation period, President Ychon stepped down, and Mr. Angelus I assumed the role of President. Despite stepping down, Ramon Ychon remained as Prime Minister and sought to lead the ongoing revision of the Ruslabiyan Constitution.
On March 27, 2023, President Angelus I also stepped down, leading to Prime Minister Ramon Ychon placing Ruslabiya under the National Salvation Council (NSC), effectively suspending the Second Republic Constitution and placing the country under a transition period. He assumed the post as Chairman of the Council and, with the help of former Rendonese President, formulated the Constitution of the Third Republic of Ruslabiya.
In May, Ramon Ychon was elected President of the Third Republic of Ruslabiya and was to serve for two years. He also appointed former President Angelus I as his Prime Minister, and on June 21, 2023, the current Constitution of the Third Republic of Ruslabiya officially took effect.
ETYMOLOGY
The Name "Ruslabiya" or "Ruslabya" came from a Hiligaynon sentence mixed with English: "Ang Rooster nag labay sa iya" or "The Rooster had passed near him". These sentences were stated by Ramon Ychon while thinking of a name for the Micronation. Also, in actual context, the name came from a mix of Rus and Slavia, or Russia and the Slavic States of Yugoslavia. "Ruslavia" was the former official name of Ruslabiya but due to recent issues faced by the Russian State. To remove Russian reference the Government changed the spelling of Ruslavia to Ruslabiya.
Politics
The Politics of Ruslabiya began early on. On the early years of the Micronation, no formal hierarchy nor blueprint for how the Government of the Micronation will work until 2015 when it's first Constitution was in placed. Currently Ruslabiya has its Constitution for the Third Republic of Ruslabiya (2023-).
Ruslabiya is a Democratic Republic. As Stated by the Constitution, the following are the structure of the Government of Ruslabiya and its functions:
PRESIDENT
The President of the Republic of Ruslabiya is both the head of State and Head of the Government. The President hold Executive, Legislative and Judicial powers and are excerised thru the State Council who will serve as the Main Governing body of the Micronation.
THE COUNCIL FOR UNITY OF THE NATIONALIST PARTY
The Council for Unity is a Council by the Nationalist Party of Ruslavia. The council is responsible for overseeing the elections of the President and vice-president of Ruslavia. They are also responsible for interpreting constitutional passages and analyzing laws. The council, in general, is the most powerful Council in the Micronation. The council is headed by the chairman who is also the General Secretary of the Nationalist Party of Ruslavia. The council is also responsible for managing the state of the Government in case it becomes inactive or dissolves. Technically, the council is the de facto Government and the Supreme Governing Body of Ruslavia. Currently, there are 7 members in the Council for Unity, mostly longtime members of the Government and the Members of the Ruslavian Self Defense Forces. The Current Chairman of the council is Gat Ramon Ychon, who is also serving as Prime-Minister of Ruslavia.
Members of the Council for Unity are elected by the members of the Nationalist Party. They all serve the council as long as they maintain the confidence of the Party.
THE GOVERNMENT OF RUSLAVIA
The Government of Ruslavia is headed by the Prime-Minister. The Prime-Minister is the Chief Executive official of Ruslavia. The Constitution gives the Prime-Minister the power to manage the daily activities of the Micronation and the Government. After the election as Prime-Minister, the Prime-Minister will form his Government which will assist him in managing Ruslavia.
Much power was given by the Constitution to the Prime-Minister. That's why Ruslavia, as a One Party State, has a Parliamentary system in Character. The powers of the Prime-Minister are to formulate its Internal and External State Policy, Manage the Government, Serve as the Commander in chief of the RSDF and more.
The Prime-Minister is elected by the National Assembly or the Batasang Pambansa of Ruslavia for a 2-year term. He must secure the confidence of the National Assembly to remain in the post for a long time. The current Prime-Minister of Ruslavia is the Chairman of the Council for Unity, Gat Ramon Ychon, he is the Prime-Minister of Ruslavia since 30 July 2022. Mr Ychon had previously served as President of Ruslavia (2019–2022) and as Prime-Minister (2012–2019). Prime-Minister Gat Ramon Ychon is expected to serve the Premeirship until 2024 in which fate will determine if he will step aside or not.
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The National Assembly or Batasang Pambansa of Ruslavia is the legislative body of the Micronation.
The Legislative Body comprises 10 Assembly members elected by the people of Ruslavia from each Prefectures for 6 months. The Members of the National Assembly can be reelected without term limit. The Qualifications for a candidate for the National Assembly is that the person must be a registered Ruslavian Citizen, at least 12 years of age on the day of the election, having good records and had not been involved in crimes and also a member of the Nationalist Party.
Before the implementation of the 19th Republic Constitution (30 July 2022-), Ruslavian Legislative body is a Bicameral Assembly. Also Ruslavia is a Multi party state but due to problems on manpower and to prevent destabilization on the National Assembly and on the Government, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) headed by former president and now Prime-Minister Gat Ramon Ychon, decided to abolish multi party system and the bicameral structure of the Legislative branch.
The powers of the National Assembly is to pass or create laws, Assist the Government on managing the country, and also representing as an Advising body to the current Leadership.
The Leader of the National Assembly is the Speaker, elected by the members of the National Assembly and to serve until the expiration of his or her term.
The current dominant occupant of the National Assembly and the only legal party to operate in Ruslavia is the Nationalist Party or PARTNASYO (Partido Nasyonalista). The party is responsible on managing the Legislative body.
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH
The Ruslavian Supreme Tribunal Court is the Judicial Body of Ruslavia. It's responsible for analyzing and interpreting laws and on the Constitution. The STC is headed by the Chief Justice with Associate Justices appointed by the Prime-Minister.
The Powers of the STC aside from Analyzing and interpreting laws and of the Constitution are to judge a violator or someone whom had violated Micronational Law. Also to determine what is right or wrong or what is constitutional and what is unconstitutional.
Aside from the Supreme Tribunal Court, there is also another component of the Judicial Branch. The Constitutional Court, whom are the main interpreters and analyzers of the Constitution. Its members are of those in the STC.
Territories
Ruslabiya is divided into 10 prefectures (Prepektura) and 1 Metropolitan (Metropolitana), this prefectures is Equevalent to Provinces. Each prefectures has its own local Government whom overseeing the Prefecture. The Capital of Prefectures are called Barangays, Equevalent to a City.
Meanwhile, the only Metropolitan in Ruslabiya is the Concord Metropolitan (Metropolitana Concordia), on which is also the Capital of Ruslavia. The Concord Metropolitan is directly managed by the Government of Ruslavia.
Each Prefectures has its own cultures, economies and histories. But the Governance of the Prefecture is mainly based on the Central Governments policies as Ruslabiya is a Unitary Republic. In the past, when Ruslabiya is a Federation, local Government has huge autonomy over their area but to prevent future rebellion of Ruslabiyan Territories, and also on some territories terribly managed by some members of the Micronation. The Government then decided to change Ruslabiyan system into unitary so that the Central Government can directly manage the Local units.
In the Past, Ruslabiya had Vassals or Sponsored Micronations, but after the crisis of 2021–2022, those said vassals became independent.
Timeline of Leaders
Presidents of Ruslabiya from the First Republic (2010-2017), Second Republic (2019-2023) and Third Republic (2023-present)
The following are the list of persons who served as President of the Republic of Ruslabiya from it's establishment to the present.
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Vice Presidents of Ruslabiya (Post Abolished)
The following are the persons who had served as Vice-President of the Republic of Ruslabiya. Historically the post existed during the First Republic of Ruslabiya (2010-2017), and was reinstated on the Second Republic of Ruslabiya (2019-2023). It was later on abolished following the ratification of the Third Republic of Ruslabiya Constitution (2023-present)
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Prime Ministers of Ruslabiya from the First Republic (2010-2017), Second Republic (2019-2023) and Third Republic (2023-present)
The following are the persons who had served as the Head of Government or Prime Minister of the Republic of Ruslabiya. The powers of the Prime Minister varies on the three constitution, the first Republic of Ruslabiya Constitution (2010-2017) gives the Prime-Minister wide executive powers on handling the Government. While on the Second Republic of Ruslabiya Constitution (2019-2023) its powers where determined by who is the officeholder of the post. The current Constitution, The Third Republic of Ruslabiya Constitution (2023-present) gives the Prime-Minister minimal powers in handling the Government affairs. The Prime-Minister on the Current Constitution maily serves as a Senior Member of the State Council and mainly act on the will of the President.
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Monarch of Ruslabiya (2017-2019)
In 2017, Republic was abolished and the Kingdom of Ruslabiya (Saburan) was established. The House of Vegasou ruled the Kingdom. In 2 years of its existence, the monarchy faced several challenges such as rebellion by several factions. Below is the only Monarch of Ruslabiya. Crowned Princess Nicollet Jane is King Hayme Rico's heir to the throne.
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| Portrait | King | Reign | Era | ||||
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King Hayme Rico | 16 February 2017 - 16 February 2019 | Vegasuonian Dynasty | ||||
Diplomacy
Ruslavia, since its entirety to the international Micronational stage, had established relations with other fellow Micronations. Since 2020, Ruslavia had been active on interaction with other Micronations but after the Ruslavian crisis of 2021–2022 on which Ruslavia had seen multiple Governmental changes, its relationship to other Micronations are now since not determined. The Ruslavian Government currently trying its best to reestablish ties with other existing micronations. Based on the List of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, these are the Micronations Ruslavian had diplomatic ties.
| Flag | Micronation | Date of Establishment of Relations | ||
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22 May 2020 | |||
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11 May 2020 | |||
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27 December 2021 | |||
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4 July 2020 | |||
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7 June 2020 | |||
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12 September 2020 | |||
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1 December 2020 | |||
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21 February 2023 | |||
Relations to some of the Micronations here in the list are still to be reconfirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ruslavia to the respective Micronations.
Culture and Traditions
Sadsaran Festival (photo above) celebrated in the area where Ruslavia is located every last week of January.
Filipino culture and traditions is dominant on the Ruslavian Republic especially on its belief systems. Ancient Traditions of the Philippines still present on Ruslavia like the beliefs in deities or gods present in every elements in nature. That is why the Family of Prime-Minister Gat Ramon Ychon and the Family of Former President John Zachary conduct an annual offering to the supernatural elements present in the surroundings. Many Ruslavians believe in the existens of such entities, that is why some are too scared to go on the nearby forest of Ruslavia as they believe there is an entity lurking there. Also on the Termite nest Ruslavians sees, they consider it as a house of an Dwarf. Offending those entities by trespassing their area or destroying their home will have huge consequences to the offender. Also other supernatural entities belived by Ruslavians to exists are some of Philippines famous folklore creatures such as Tikbalang, a half horse half human entity, Kapre, the Philippine version of bigfoot but found in trees with a tobacco cigarette, Engkanto, an Mysterious Enchanted Person similar to faries, and Aswang, a Ghoul-Zombie-Vampire like creature.
Roman Catholicism is dominant in Ruslavia. But the Government does not endorce it as a State Religion. Prime-Minister Gat Ramon Ychon stated that Ruslavia must remain secular to ensure that other minorities shall be respected and will be equally represented.
Roman Catholic festivals are famous in Ruslavia, especially on the feasts of Saints and on other important Catholic Holidays. Usually, these events are Holidays in Ruslavia. On the Current Government, Prime-Minister Gat Ramon Ychon endorses to the National Assembly to establish law creating lists of holidays officially observed in Ruslavia. It will also include non catholic holidays of other religions such as in Islam and in Buddhism.
Tradition
Filipino Traditions such as "pagmamano sa mga nakakatanda", and other such traditions is observed in Ruslavia. Also the afternoon sleeping or "Siesta", also present although it is an influence of Spain to the Islands during its colonial rule.
Sources
[1] Ministry of Culture and Arts, Ruslavia.
[2] Historical Commission of Ruslavia.
[3] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ruslavia.
[4] The Government of Ruslavian Republic.
[5] The Commission on Statistics, Ruslavia.
Furthermore, updates will be added later to the information of Ruslavian Republic.