Santo Niño Cooperation Union

Santo Niño Cooperation Union
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "For Glory, For Progress, For the Union"
Institutional seat	Santo Niño City
Official languages	6 languages Cebuano English Filipino Hiligaynon Ilocano Kinaray-a
Membership	8 states Arlandica Courline Curimae Hesminia Vethony Vilasia Vista Vurmond
Government	Intergovernmental direct democracy
• Secretary-General	Daniel Aoanan
• YSDC President	Xiaen Michael Alseiro Panes
• Supreme Commander of the Joint Security Forces	Vince Santillan Jugado
Legislature	Central Committee
Establishment
• Established as UTOA	13 July 2021
• Treaty of Santo Niño	10 May 2024
• Treaty of Melascoville	28 September 2024
Area
• Total	933.65 km2 (360.48 sq mi)
Population
• 2024 estimate	625
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST, CST) UTC+9 (VST) UTC+12 (NZST) UTC-5 (ET)

The Santo Niño Cooperation Union (SNCU; Filipino: Unyong Pangkooperasyon ng Santo Niño; Ilocano: Santo Niño Agtitinnulong a Punglo), also known as the Santo Niño Pact and the Greater Filipino Monarchies, is an intergovernmental security alliance and supranational political union composed of eight (8) self-proclaimed sovereign states, commonly known as micronations. Members are usually neighboring micronations of Arlandica and Hesminia or, if not, its protectorates and crown dependencies. All members may demonstrate a pro-Arlandican, pro-Hesminian, and pro-monarchy stances. Micronations without monarchs, considered as republics, are still be allowed to join the union but must demonstrate a strong alignment with the core values of the union, including respect for monarchical governance.

SNCU was originally established on July 13, 2021, as the United Territories of Overseas Arlandica (UTOA). On May 10, 2024, the Treaty of Santo Niño was signed in Santo Niño City, Arlandica, officially establishing the organization.

It is a regional organization with member states located in various parts of the Philippines, particularly in Luzon, Western Visayas, and Mindanao, as well as some islands in Eastern Antarctica under Courline and an enclave in Maryland, United States, which is part of Vista.

Etymology

It is named after Santo Niño City, the capital of the Kingdom of Arlandica and the birthplace of the SNCU. According to King Jerold I, since the SNCU upholds conservative, religious, and pro-monarchy values, it is fitting that it is named after a city bearing the name of Santo Niño, as the name reflects the shared culture of SNCU member states.

Other names for the SNCU include the Santo Niño Pact, Greater Filipino Monarchies, and Greater Arlandica-Hesminia. These terms are also accepted to refer to the organization.

History

July 2021–April 2024

It was originally established by Jerold I, the monarch of Arlandica, on July 13, 2021, under the name United Territories of Overseas Arlandica (UTOA), to counterbalance Accande Terrie Ornindo (ATO) and, later on, the Association of Micronations in the Philippine Islands (AMPI). Despite this, Arlandica has maintained a neutral stance between ATO and AMPI. This neutrality was formally recognized by the Independent State of Kaleido, an AMPI member, in May 2021. UTOA was composed of Arlandica and its colonies: Southern Australis and Coulman Island (which later became part of Courline), as well as initial land claims in Northern Canada (known as East Greenland) and parts of the Southern Philippines. On August 1, 2021, UTOA became temporarily defunct due to a lack of structure, such as a charter and purpose.

On January 25, 2024, the Treaty of San Sebastian was signed between Arlandica and Zakinesia, making Zakinesia a protectorate of Arlandica. Zakinesia was occupied by Arlandica from January 11-15, 2024. Offers of annexation were extended to Vurmond but were later rejected.

On February 10, 2024, the Parliament of Arlandica passed Act of Parliament No. 14, establishing guidelines and provisions for the governance, cooperation, and mutual relations between Arlandica and the designated micronations under its protectorate status.

On April 29, 2024, an "Agreement for the Cession" was signed between Arlandica, Vilasia, Zakinesia, and the newly-formed Kingdom of Courline. This agreement involved the withdrawal of all claims by Vilasia and Zakinesia to transfer them to Courline, which would be recognized as an independent sovereign state. The transfer of claims did not include Mac. Robertson Land. Courline became under a personal union with Arlandica later that day.

May 2024–present

Jerold I presented the Treaty of Santo Niño on April 15, 2024. Later, on May 10, 2024, the governments of Arlandica, Courline, and Zakinesia ratified the treaty, establishing the Santo Niño Cooperation Union (SNCU). These micronations became the founding members of the organization.

On June 3, Jerold I and Zakia Jacob Precioso, the Grand Duke of Zakinesia, became the inaugural Secretary-General and the Supreme Commander of the Joint Security Forces, respectively. At the same day, Vilasia joined the organization.

On September 20, Zakinesia left the SNCU, becoming the first member to voluntarily withdraw from the treaty.

On September 28, Hesminia joined the SNCU and established the Youth Support and Development Council (YSDC), with Emperor Xiaen serving as its first president. Later, on October 3, Curimae and Vethony also became members.

On October 12, Vista and Vurmond were admitted as members of the SNCU. Vista became the first republican micronation to join the organization. On the same day, the Central Committee ratified the Parkview Convention. On October 26, Jerold I resigned. The Central Committee held a snap election, resulting in Lakan Daniel of Vethony becoming the new Secretary-General.

Constitutional foundation

There is a set of international treaties between SNCU and its members, which serve as the constitutional foundation and establish the various institutions of SNCU. The organization can only act within the powers granted to it by these treaties, and any amendments to the treaties require the agreement and ratification (in accordance with their national procedures) of every single signatory.

Arlandica serves as the depositary for the multilateral treaties.

Treaty of Santo Niño

The Treaty of Santo Niño is the primary treaty of SNCU and serves as its highest document, considered a charter, drafted by Jerold I. It outlines the structure and purpose of the organization. The treaty consists of a preamble, 8 articles, and 55 sections, totaling 2,112 words.

Arlandica, Courline, and Zakinesia were the first micronations to ratify the charter, making them the founding members of the organization.

Treaty of Melascoville

The Treaty of Melascoville serves as an amendment to the Treaty of Santo Niño, specifically amending Sections 1 and 2 of Article 1 and Section 1 of Article 4. It also functions as the charter for the Youth Support and Development Council (YSDC). The treaty is composed of a preamble, 5 articles, and 37 sections, totaling 1,649 words.

The treaty has been ratified by Arlandica, Courline, Hesminia, and Vilasia.

Purpose and Goals

The SNCU promotes the principles of monarchy, democracy, and stable governance for the common good of its micronations. It is exclusively for micronations that are not affiliated with any Philippine-based organizations, such as the Association of Micronations in the Philippine Islands (AMPI) and the Great Leguean Sphere Organization (GLSO), making the organization a neutral third-party entity. The SNCU aims to protect its members from potential harm by external parties and promote cooperation among micronations that share deep-rooted historical, cultural, political, diplomatic, and cooperative ties with the Kingdom of Arlandica and the Empire of Hesminia.

The organization strives to become a key player in mediating conflicts and promoting peace and stability in micronational communities around the Southeast Asian region. SNCU provides educational assistance on nation-building to its member states. Following the ratification of the Treaty of Santo Niño, according to King Jerold I, the 1st SNCU secretary-general, "each member state is willing to become micronational regional powers in the Philippines" and "SNCU is not encouraging territorial or sphere of influence expansion, but we promote peaceful enlargement that all micronations may agree on or let us just do our thing," he added.

Anti-bullying policies

The SNCU condemns all forms of doxxing, online bullying, malicious activities, and related actions within micronationalism. The organization has ratified the Parkview Convention, also known as the "Convention on Safe Digital Practices and Anti-Cyberbullying," with its member states serving as full signatories. The convention is also open to all micronations willing to join as co-signatories.

Financial assistance

The organization also collects financial contributions from member-states, whether voluntary or not, to use during emergencies and address other concerns.

Structure

SNCU is a supranational union with a collective security alliance, considered an intergovernmental elective direct democracy. It has a less complex structure. The organization is headed by a Secretary-General, and the central committee serves as the sole supreme decision-making body, making them its primary institutions.

Secretary-General

Seal of the Secretary-General

The Secretary-General is the administrative head of the organization, elected for a 1-year term by the majority of the central committee. The term is renewable, and the Secretary-General may be re-elected. Any citizen of SNCU member countries is eligible for the position. The Secretary-General provides leadership, direction, and guidance to the member states. Their powers include:

• Opening and closing legislative sessions.
• Having the authority to approve or veto proposed resolutions.
• Issuing executive orders.
• Managing the union's external relations.
• Mediating conflicts and issues involving member states.
• Appointing the Supreme Commander of the Joint Security Forces.
• Bestowing honors, grants, and awards.

List

No.	Name	Country	Term
1st	Jerold I	Arlandica	3 June 2024	26 October 2024
2nd	Daniel Aoanan	Vethony	26 October 2024	Incumbent

Central Committee

The Central Committee is the main governing body of the organization. Its sessions and summits are taking place online, through Facebook Messenger. It comprises all incumbent heads of state and government or designated representatives of all member states, including observers with no voting powers. It consists of a single chamber, headed by the Secretary-General, who serves as the speaker of the body.

The members of the Central Committee, including the Secretary-General, create and propose legislative documents that address particular issues in the organization. These may take the form of executive orders issued by the Secretary-General or resolutions by the member states' representatives.

SNCU Law

The supranational laws of SNCU refer to resolutions passed by the central committee and executive orders issued by the secretary-general. These laws apply to all SNCU member states and hold superiority. By convention, supranational laws must not conflict with the laws of member states.

Membership application

Requirements

The SNCU membership is exclusively open to micronations that have protectorate status under Arlandica in accordance with signed treaties or documents, or to micronations that exhibit close territorial proximity to the sovereign territory of Arlandica and demonstrate a pro-Arlandica and pro-monarchy stance.

Membership procedures

The following are the membership procedures:

1. Applicant micronations shall send a letter of intent to the Secretary-General, stating their commitment and confirming that they meet the requirements.
2. All existing SNCU member states must reach a consensus to invite a new country to join the union.
3. The letter of intent is subject to approval or rejection by the Secretary-General.
4. Once invited, the applicant micronation must ratify the Treaty of Santo Niño through its national legislative process.
5. Once the treaty is ratified by the micronation, the Secretary-General shall proclaim the new member on its media platforms.

Dismissal

Member-states have the right to withdraw from SNCU and terminate their treaties with the organization at any time. A member-state wishing to withdraw from the union should notify the Secretary-General and the Central Committee in writing of its intention to do so, stating the reasons for withdrawal.

A member-state that has been declared dissolved may also be automatically removed from SNCU.

List of members

Country	Code	Capital	Flag	Coat of arms	Year of establishment	Form of government	Official languages	Leaders		Accession
								Head of state	Head of government
Kingdom of Arlandica	ARD	Santo Niño City			2020	Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy	Cebuano, Filipino, Ilocano	Jerold I		10 May 2024
Kingdom of Courline	CNE	Coulman Island			2024	Unitary absolute monarchy	English	Jerold I	Danvier Regala	10 May 2024
Kingdom of Curimae	CUR	New Curimae City			2004	Unitary absolute monarchy	English, Filipino, Kinaray-a	Bonifacius Adrianus I	Genesis John Martinez	3 October 2024
Empire of Hesminia	HES	Xeniria			2013	Unitary absolute monarchy	English, Filipino, Hiligaynon	Xiaen Michael Alseiro Panes	James Brandt	28 September 2024
United Lakanate of Vethony	VET	Parkview			2022	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy	English, Filipino	Daniel Aoanan	Rechie Mapa	3 October 2024
Empire of Vilasia	VSA	Vierdiña City			2015	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Cebuano, English, Filipino	Vince Santillan Jugado		3 June 2024
Federal Republic of Vista	FRV	Mahogany			2021	Federal parliamentary republic	English, Filipino	Vacant	Enrique Christian Bustamante V	12 October 2024
Sovereign City of Vurmond	VUR	None			2000	Unitary absolute monarchy	English, Filipino	L. S. Mariel		12 October 2024

Former members

Country	Capital	Flag	Coat of arms	Form of government	Official languages	Leaders		Date of accession	Date of withdrawal
						Head of state	Head of government
Grand Duchy of Zakinesia	San Sebastian City			Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy	English, Filipino, Hiligaynon	Zakia Jacob Precioso	Sebasian Basco	10 May 2024	20 September 2024

Dialogue Partners

The Observer states, or Dialogue Partners in SNCU, are allowed to participate in the sessions of the Central Committee but have no voting powers, in accordance with Section 3 under Article 3 and Section 4 under Article 2 of the charter. Any micronations or multilateral organizations that have diplomatic relations with Arlandica or any members of the organization are eligible to become Dialogue Partners.

A Dialogue Partner must send a letter of intent to the Secretary-General expressing their interest in joining the Central Committee. This letter is subject to approval or veto by the Secretary-General.

As of May 2024, there are no micronations or organizations that hold observer status.

Youth Support and Development Council

Seal of the Youth Support and Development Council

The Youth Support and Development Council (YSDC) is a subsidiary organization under the SNCU that focuses on mentorship, political awareness, and collective growth among micronations considered young, newly established, or lacking a clear governmental structure. It currently comprises at least 70 micronations, many of which were previously part of the Hesminian Commonwealth of Nations (HC), the predecessor of YSDC.

Joint Security Forces

Seal of the SNCU Joint Security Forces

The SNCU Joint Security Forces (SNCU-JSF) is a multinational security force consisting of selected units or divisions from the law enforcement and self-defense forces of the organization's member states. Its primary purpose is to protect and defend the territorial claims of the countries that are members of the organization. An attack from a non-member (external party or parties) against one or more of the SNCU member states is considered an attack against the entirety of the organization. This includes an invasion or occupation of a recognized territory of an SNCU member, as mandated by Article 5 of the charter.

During peacetime, the SNCU-JSF serves peacekeeping purposes. Each member state may contribute to the Joint Security Forces to conduct operations.

Officeholders

The Supreme Commander of the Joint Security Forces is appointed by the Secretary-General. They oversee the coordination and operations of the forces.

No.	Name	Country	Term
1st	Zakia Jacob Precioso	Zakinesia	3 June 2024	20 July 2024
2nd	Vince Santillan Jugado	Vilasia	21 July 2024	Incumbent

Operations

The following operations have been executed by the Joint Security Forces since the foundation of SNCU.

• Inter-Agency Task Force for Countering Terrorism and Communist Threats (ITF-COM) – The task force aims to identify and neutralize terrorist and communist threats within and around the territories of member states. As of June 4, 2024, the SNCU-JSF has identified Bread Doge Empire (BDE), which refers to its factions: Bread Doge Federated Republic (BDFR), United Bread Doge Federation (UBDF) and Al-Brawner, as a micronational terrorist organization.

Summits

Summits are held to discuss the issues, initiatives, projects, and other matters concerning the SNCU. They are conducted via the organization's Messenger chatroom or through Google Meet. Member states decide which country will host the summit, either physically or virtually.

List of summits

Host	Summit	Location	Date	Realized or Scheduled
Arlandica	1st SNCU Summit and Opening of YSDC	Santo Niño City	September 28, 2024	Realized
Arlandica	2nd SNCU Summit	Santo Niño City	October 19, 2024	Realized

Categorization

SNCU uses the Categoric-Gradial System of Classification (CGSC), developed by Mark Dresner, to categorize its members, with a passing score of 3.0. A unique feature of this system is that it automatically classifies all online-based micronations as "0".

While meeting the 3.0 score is not a membership requirement, SNCU members are encouraged to strive for this benchmark. Micronations that do not meet the passing score may still be accepted into the organization by the Central Committee and the Secretary-General, provided they demonstrate efforts to improve and reclassify to achieve or surpass the score of 3.0.