Is the Philippines a state or a nation?

The Philippines is one of the most westernized nations in Southeast Asia, a unique blend of eastern and western culture. Spain (1565-1898) and the United States
(1898-1946), colonized the country and have been the largest influences on the Philippine culture. This is about to change.

How many states are there in the Philippines?

The Provinces of the Philippines (Filipino: Mga Lalawigan ng Pilipinas) are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 81provinces at
present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities.

at title is one of the lines in the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton. It tells the story of the young, scrappy, and hungry United States of America when it was just gaining its
independence from England. It explores the crossroads when 13 colonies eventually coalesced into one nation bound under a federal form of government.

The Philippines is at a similar crossroads now. Federalism has become a hot topic ever since the campaign of the new president. It has been offered as a possible
solution to several societal problems of the Philippines. As a system of government, it is a radical departure from our current system of unitary government. Currently, we
have one strong central government and several local government units which are subordinate to the central government. In a federal setup, the two levels of
government, namely the central government and state governments, are of relatively equal stature and power. The most well-known example of a federal system of
government is of course that of the United States. Several other examples exist, including Malaysia, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Russia, and India. In
most of these countries, federalism started when several smaller colonies or territories decided to unite and form one country. Philippine federalism would be different in
the sense that one unified government will then form several states which are federated together to form one country.

At this point, we cannot be certain as to how Philippine Federalism might look like.

To be sure, there will be several aspects to consider when we shift to a federal form of government. For one thing, the system of taxation and commerce will have to be
redefined to delineate which forms of revenue and taxation is reserved for the states and for the federal government. There will also be a need to redefine the legal and
judicial system.

In most federal governments, the individual states have their own legal system, Constitution, and courts. The relationship of these state-level legal system and federal-
level legal system must be properly defined in order to avoid friction and confusion. Aside from these, the relations of the individual states among themselves must also
be properly defined. Definitely, the manner of doing business on both the federal and state level will be affected.

In any case, a shift to a federal system from the present unitary system of government would require a constitutional revision which is entirely different from a mere
constitutional amendment.

In the landmark case of Lambino v. Comelec, the Supreme Court differentiated between an amendment and a revision. A change which “alters the substantial
entirety of the Constitution, as when the change affects substantial provisions of Constitution” is a revision. On the other hand, an amendment is a change that
“adds, reduces, or deletes without altering the basic principle involved.” The difference between an amendment and a revision is not just an academic distinction. Such
difference determines which modes can be used in order to initiate the constitutional change. Article XVII, Sections 1 and 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides
that constitutional revisions may only be implemented by Congress as a constituent assembly, or by a constitutional convention elected by the people. As discussed in
Lambino v. Comelec, Constitutional revision cannot be implemented through a people’s initiative.

By all indications, a shift to a federal form from the current setup will entail a constitutional revision. Such a shift would definitely entail a rewriting of a majority of the
provisions of the Constitution, resulting in far reaching changes in the basic governmental plan. The only way, therefore, for a valid shift to federalism would be through a
constitutional convention or through Congress as a constituent assembly.

Despite not allowing for a direct participation by the people in the deliberations for the constitutional revisions, a Constitutional Convention or Congress as a constituent
assembly does not entirely preclude the general public from participating in the shaping of the new Constitution. There is still public participation before, during, and
especially after revisions are made because any change would still be submitted to the people through a plebiscite. Only after the people approve it in a plebiscite will the
new Constitution, and a new federal form of government, will come into existence.

Several proposals for the mode by which amendments are to be made, as well as the substantive amendments themselves have been filed in the present 17 th Congress.
All of which are being considered by the respective committees on Constitutional Amendments. The Executive Branch has also weighed in on the possible constitutional
revisions by issuing Executive Order No. 10, series of 2016 which mandated the formation of a Consultative Committee to review the 1987 Constitution.

The crossroads we are in right now calls all Filipinos to be vigilant and to participate in the continuing project of nation-building. A Constitutional change gives all Filipinos
a shot to shape the country’s future and to think past tomorrow. Let’s not throw away our shot.

This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and not offered as and does not constitute legal advice or legal opinion.

Enrique F. Nitura is an Associate of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution (LDRD) of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW).
http://bworldonline.com/nation-states-whats-state-nation/

STATE VS. NATION

Nation is a population having a common language and literature, a common tradition and history, common customs, and a common consciousness of rights and wrongs,
inhabiting a territory of a geographic unity. A society of men is said to constitute a nation when they feel conscious of their common racial or cultural or sentimental
solidarity among themselves. In sum, a nation exists where its component atoms believe it to be a nation.

What are then the differences between nation and state? Nation is an ethnical concept while state is a political or legal concept. A state presupposes a government
and a definite territory, while these are not necessary for a nation to exist. There can be a nation without there being a state, but where there is a state, there is at least
one nation. A state may be made up of one or more nations, it is called a poly-national state. But where there is only one nation in one state, it is called a mono-national
state. http://politicsandgovernance.blogspot.com/2010/06/state-vs-nation.html

Difference Between Nation and State

• Categorized under Politics | Difference Between Nation and State

countriesNation vs State

The words nation and state are sometimes used as synonyms. Sometimes, state is used as a synonyms for nation or country, but nation and state have their
own respective identities.

A nation can be defined as group of people who are bound together into a single body, through history, customs, value, language, culture, tradition, art and religion. On
the contraray, a state can be defined as a patch of land with a sovereign government.

A nation can be defined as a politico-cultural entity, which is identified by its unique character and collective rights. On the other hand, a state can be defined as a
politico-judicial entity, which is identified by its sovereign rights.

When looking at the etymology, ‘nation’ has been derived from the latin word, ‘natio’, which means a ‘set of people’. State is a word that has been derived from the
Latin’s ‘Status’, which means ‘status’ or ‘condition’.

Well, the states together form a nation. However, a state will have a separate political entity within a nation. Though the states have their own rules, and can also bring in
new laws, they must adhere to the national laws. The states cannot frame laws that is of no interest to the nation.

A nation can be refered to as the holder of soverignity, that has a big role in developing the fundamental norms of a state. A nation will have a constitution, whereas a
state will not have a separate constitution.

The policies pertaining to national interest are taken by the government at the national level, but the state governments cannot formlate such policies.

Summary

1. A state is sometimes used as a synonyms for nation or country.

2. States together, form a nation.

3. A nation can be defined as a politico-cultural entity, which is identified by its unique character and collective rights. On the contrary, a state can be defined as a
politico-judicial entity, which is identified by its sovereign rights.

4. A nation can be defined as group of people who are bound together into a single body, through history, customs, value, language, culture, tradition, art and religion. A
state can be defined as a patch of land with a sovereign government.

5. A nation can be refered to as the holder of soverignity.

6. Policies pertaining to national interest are taken by the government at the national level, but the state governments cannot formlate such policies.

7. The word ‘nation’ has been derived from the latin ‘natio’, which means a ‘set of people’. State is a word that has been derived from the Latin ‘Status’, which means
‘status’ or ‘condition’.

Read more: Difference Between Nation and State | Difference Between http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-nation-and-
state/#ixzz56udlAYxT http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-nation-and-state/ Nation, State & Government
1. 1. What is the difference between a Nation and State?
2. 2.  Nation comes from the Latin word, “natio” means “set of people”.  a Nation is a community of a person living together bounded by common traits,
tradition, values, and possesses a common goal and destiny.
3. 3.  While the State comes from the Latin word “status”, means “condition”.  A community of persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a
definite portion of territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government to which a great body of inhabitants render habitual
obedience. (Garner); Political Concept.
4. 4. “ There could be a Nation composed of different states, or a Nation with only one State. But a State can only have one Nation. ”
5. 5. For example, the States of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, and Lebanon belong to the Arab Nation. And another one, the United States of America has
56 states. During World War II, the Philippines cannot be considered as a state having lost its independence or sovereignty from the Japanese Imperial
Army. However, although it cannot be called as a state at the time having lost one of the important elements of a state, it can still be considered as a nation in
as much as its people were bound by common traits, tradition, culture and values.
6. 6. What are the Elements of the State? The elements of the State are: a) People b) Territory c) Government and, d) Sovereignty
7. 7. What is Government? The Government is the agency that carries out the will of the people. Its main objective is to protect the people from both external
and internal harm. The Government promotes the people’s desire to live in harmony among themselves and to those in other states. The Government may
either be democratic or autocratic.
8. 8. What is Democratic and Autocratic Government? 1) Democratic Government: According to President Abraham Lincolin, “It is the government of the
people, by the people and for the people and shall not perish on earth.” There are many forms of democratic government.
9. 9. 2) Autocratic Government An autocratic system of government is that the one whose power and control lodge is in the monarch. Like that in Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, or a party like that of the Peoples Republic of China.
10. 10. What are the Different Forms of Democratic Government? Presidential System : The doctrine of separation of powers among the branches of government
is observed. There is a separation of Executive, Legislative, and Judicial powers among three branches of the government.
11. 11. Parliamentary form of Government : The King, Queen, Sultan or Emperor serves as the head of state, while the Prime Minister serves as the head of
government. There is a fusion of executive and legislative power in the Parliament.