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The South China Sea Dispute – An Update, Lecture Delivered on April 23, 2015 at a forum sponsored by the Bureau of Treasury and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communications at the Ayuntamiento de Manila
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read moreCebu capitol now holds replica of PH’s oldest scientific map
CEBU CITY – The provincial government of Cebu is now in possession of the official replica of the oldest scientific map of the Philippines, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said Friday. The legendary Murillo Velarde Map of 1734 was a gift of businessman Mel Velasco Velarde to the governor who celebrated her birthday Thursday at the provincial capitol. Garcia said the map is called the “mother of all Philippine maps,” as it was first published in Manila in 1734 by Jesuit cartographer, Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde. The map considered to be the first scientific map ever produced to depict the Philippine archipelago. “This is to award the Province of Cebu for the role it played in the past 500 years,” Velarde, a descendant of the cartogrpaher, was quoted in a statement issued by the capitol. Measuring 1120 by 1200 millimeters (112 by 120 centimeters), the map was used by the Philippine government in asserting the country’s sovereign rights in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. It was not discussed yet where the replica will be displayed. According to Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, the Murillo Velarde maps, along with 270 others, were used in the international arbitration to refute China’s claim of historic suzerainty over the entire South China Sea. The map recognized as early as 1700s that the Kalayaan Group of Islands and Scarborough Shoal are parts of the Philippine territory. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines stating that China had “no historical rights.” But China rejected the ruling. (PNA) https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211757 Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreCAPITOL RECEIVES ‘MURILLO VELARDE’ 1734 MAP
An official replica of the “oldest” scientific map of the Philippines has been given as a gift to the Cebuano people by businessman Mel Velasco Velarde on October 12, birthday of Gov. Gwen Garcia. The map, called “Mother of all Philippine Maps”, measures 1120 x 1200 mm. It was personally received by Governor Gwen Garcia, along with Vice Governor Hilario Davide III and the members of the Cebu Provincial Board. The Murillo Velarde 1734 Map was first published in Manila in 1734 by the Jesuit cartographer Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde, the first scientific map ever produced depicting the Philippine archipelago. It was used by the Philippines in asserting its sovereign rights in the disputed territories of the West Philippine Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where the Philippines demonstrated that not only did it have legal bases for its claims, but also historical rights vested by the map which recognized as early as 1700s, that the Kalayaan Group of Islands and Scarborough Shoal are part of the Philippine territory. “This is to award the Province of Cebu for the role it played in the past 500 years,” said Velarde, whose father was born in Oslob, Cebu. | Babie Jane Revecoy https://www.cebu.gov.ph/sugbonews/story.php?id=325 Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreA Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands.
About this Item Title A Hydrographical and Chorographical Chart of the Philippine Islands. Other Title Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas Dedicada al Rey Nuestro Señor por el Mariscal d. Campo D. Fernando Valdes Tamon Cavallo del Orden de Santiago de Govor. Y Capn. Summary This magnificent map of the Philippine archipelago, drawn by the Jesuit Father Pedro Murillo Velarde (1696–1753) and published in Manila in 1734, is the first and most important scientific map of the Philippines. The Philippines were at that time a vital part of the Spanish Empire, and the map shows the maritime routes from Manila to Spain and to New Spain (Mexico and other Spanish territory in the New World), with captions. In the upper margin stands a great cartouche with the title of the map, crowned by the Spanish royal coat of arms flanked each side by an angel with a trumpet, from which an inscription unfurls. The map is not only of great interest from the geographic point of view, but also as an ethnographic document. It is flanked by twelve engravings, six on each side, eight of which depict different ethnic groups living in the archipelago and four of which are cartographic descriptions of particular cities or islands. According to the labels, the engravings on the left show: Sangleyes (Chinese Philippinos) or Chinese; Kaffirs (a derogatory term for non-Muslims), a Camarin (from the Manila area), and a Lascar (from the Indian subcontinent, a British Raj term); mestizos, a Mardica (of Portuguese extraction), and a Japanese; and two local maps–one of Samboagan (a city on Mindanao), and the other of the port of Cavite. On the right side are: various people in typical dress; three men seated, an Armenian, a Mughal, and a Malabar (from an Indian textile city); an urban scene with various peoples; a rural scene with representations of domestic and wild animals; a map of the island of Guajan (meaning Guam); and a map of Manila. Names Bagay, Nicolás de la Cruz, 1701-1771 Engraver. Murillo Velarde, Pedro, 1696-1753 Cartographer. Created / Published Manila : [publisher not identified], 1734. Headings – United States of America–Guam – Philippines – 1734 – Ethnic groups – Nautical charts Notes – Title devised, in English, by Library staff. – “Scale ca. 1:1.400.000. 20 Spanish leagues to 17 1/2 degrees = 8.8 centimeters”–Note extracted from World Digital Library. – Original resource extent: 1 map ; 112 x 120 centimeters. – Original resource at: National Library of Spain. – Content in Spanish. – Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions. Medium 1 online resource. Digital Id https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.wdl/wdl.10089 Library of Congress Control Number 2021668467 Online Format compressed data image LCCN Permalink https://lccn.loc.gov/2021668467 Additional Metadata Formats MARCXML Record MODS Record Dublin Core Record IIIF Presentation Manifest Manifest (JSON/LD) Source: https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668467/ Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreScarborough Shoal and the Spratlys in ancient maps
“Buy it, na!” Tony Carpio said to his friend Mel Velarde. It was an old map that Tony encouraged Mel to buy — the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Islas Filipinas, more commonly known as the Murillo Velarde 1734 map — the oldest known map in Philippine history. It was November 2014. Sotheby’s had announced an auction of some 80 heirlooms of the Duke of Northumberland, Ralph George Algernon, which included the rare map. Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio “Tony” Carpio, whose personal advocacy was (and still is) the protection and preservation of Philippine territorial and maritime sovereignty, specifically in the West Philippine Sea, immediately saw the value of the Murillo Velarde map to counter the adverse claims of China on Philippine territory. “Local public and private museums declined to take part in the Sotheby’s bid. The National Museum was interested but didn’t have the money, so the plan was for (Mel Velarde) to buy the map and sell it later to the National Museum,” Velarde recalled to media in June 2014. The National Museum had a limit of only P5 million to buy rare items. Mel Velarde paid £170,500 (approximately ₱12 million at that time) for the Murillo Velarde map — not for the name, he says, for he cannot trace his lineage to the Jesuit priest Father Pedro Murillo Velarde (1696-1753) who conceptualized and designed the map under orders from King Philip of Spain. Filipinos Francisco Suárez and Nicolás de la Cruz Bagay did the artwork and engraving, respectively. There are less than 50 extant copies of the map. Some are mounted on a cloth backing measuring 112×120 cm. The map itself measures 108×71 cm and is on a scale approximating 1:1,400,000. The National Library of Congress of the USA, which owns one of the original copies, describes the “Carta” map thus: “The Philippines were (sic.) at that time a vital part of the Spanish Empire, and the map shows the maritime routes from Manila to Spain and to New Spain (Mexico and other Spanish territory in the New World), with captions. In the upper margin stands a great cartouche with the title of the map, crowned by the Spanish royal coat of arms flanked each side by an angel with a trumpet, from which an inscription unfurls. The map is not only of great interest from the geographic point of view, but also as an ethnographic document. It is flanked by 12 engravings, six on each side, eight of which depict different ethnic groups living in the archipelago and four of which are cartographic descriptions of particular cities or islands. According to the labels, the engravings on the left show: Sangleyes (Chinese Filipinos) or Chinese; Kaffirs (a derogatory term for non-Muslims), a Camarin (from the Manila area), and a Lascar (from the Indian subcontinent, a British Raj term); mestizos, a Mardica (of Portuguese extraction), and a Japanese; and two local maps — one of Samboagan (a city on Mindanao), and the other of the port of Cavite. On the right side are: various people in typical dress; three men seated, an Armenian, a Mughal, and a Malabar (from an Indian textile city); an urban scene with various peoples; a rural scene with representations of domestic and wild animals; a map of the island of...
read moreHow 1734 Murillo Velarde map serves as living document of Philippine territory
The Alliance Française de Manille on Friday launched an exhibition featuring rare maps from the 17th to 19th centuries and the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, known as the “Mother of all Philippine Maps.” Titled “Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys in Ancient Maps: An Exhibition,” it featured the map collection of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, and the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, acquired by Filipino businessman Mel Velasco Velarde at a Sotheby’s auction in London in 2012. Velarde said that the “Mother of all Philippine Maps” was used at the arbitration tribunal to back up the Philippines’ right and ownership over the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. This is the first map that gave a name to Scarborough Shoal, or “panacot” in Tagalog, which means danger. “I’m not just lending the map to the institution, I’m donating it to the government permanently as long as you will give it a permanent place,” Velarde said, adding that he is very honored to participate in the exhibit, donating the official replica. SOURCE GMA NEWS Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreCanadian Embassy and the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map
Mel Velasco Velarde, Chairman of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and the NOW Group, donated a replica of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines. The turnover ceremony was held at the Canadian Ambassador’s residence in August 2022, a month after the sixth anniversary of the July 2016 landmark ruling at The Hague that upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea. The Murillo Velarde 1734 Map was one of the 270 maps cited at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) hearings. Present during the turnover of the map were Chairman Velarde; His Excellency Peter MacArthur, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines; Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.; Colin Townson, Counsellor, Political and Public Affairs, Canadian Embassy; and Kristian Noel A. Pura, Managing Director of AIJC and NOW Corporation. Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreMurillo-Velarde 1734 Map Replica Turnover Ceremony
On November 18, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., the Murillo-Velarde 1734 Map Replica Turnover Ceremony was held at the Angelo King Multi-Purpose Center, attended by Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) representatives and Xavier School administrators. This is the first formal onsite event for the two institutions after the second lockdown. The turnover event was made possible through the generosity of Mr. Mel V. Velarde, a true Patriot, Chairman of Now Corporation, CEO of NOW Telecom Company Inc., and Chairman of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication and Velarde Inc. (Read his turn-over speech here.) According to the AIJP website, the map is what historians regard as the “mother of all Philippine maps.” The map was one of the 80 heirlooms owned by the Duke of Northumberland, Ralph George Algernon Percy, that were auctioned by Sotheby’s London on November 4, 2014. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio got wind of the auction of the map and shared this information to various public and private museums and individuals, including Velarde, who is also an educator and a technology entrepreneur. Velarde participated in the bid and won. The 1734 Murillo Velarde map was one of the 270 ancient maps cited at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) hearings in The Hague in the Netherlands when the Philippines contested China’s claims over the West Philippine Sea. In 2016, the PCA tribunal declared that China’s claims were invalid. Velarde believes that the ownership of the map is every Filipino’s birth right. He donated the map to the Philippine government. He now raises public awareness on the map and its significance to our cultural and historical heritage by donating replicas of the map to government agencies, academic institutions, and private organizations. More information about the map may be seen on the Murillo Velarde Map website. Fr. Aristotle C. Dy, SJ, School President, delivered his message of gratitude to Mr. Mel Velarde and his team, emphasizing the relevance of the map to Xavier School’s context as a Chinese-Filipino educational institution. (Read the full message here.) The map replica is currently displayed in the High School Learning Resource Center of the Xavier School San Juan campus. The video of the event and an explainer of the Murillo-Velarde 1734 map may be viewed below. Source: https://www.xs.edu.ph/index.php/murillo-velarde-1734-map-replica-turnover-ceremony/?fbclid=IwAR2vHLPMocOIl0FtbZ6yn4LkOALZ5Act70q6-oQRHgwu0SfuRteWLJ7YClM Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreEl Centro Hispano Filipino de Laujar de Andarax (Hispanic-Filipino Cultural Center in Laujar de Andrax)
This article by Carlos Villoria Prieto and Valeriano Sánchez Ramos features the Hispanic-Filipino Cultural Center in Laujar de Andarax. The Center pays tribute to the work of Laujar Jesuit Pedro Murillo Velarde, who prepared the first scientific map of the Philippines, the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de la Yslas Filipinas Manila or the Murillo Velarde Map, together with two Filipinos: Francisco Suarez, who drew the map, and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, who did the engraving. Here is the abstract of the article: The Spanish Philippine Centre of Laujar de Andarax is the result of two factors that will be the driving force behind its development, on the one hand the international interest in the Laujarean Jesuit Pedro Murillo Velarde and that of the Laujar town council for the recovery of one of its most significant civil buildings that was in a ruinous state and on the verge of being lost. The headquarters of the Centro Hispano Filipino is an exceptional example of a manor house of the small Alpujarran nobility. Built in the first half of the 18th century, it is an example of the economic development of 18th century Laujar. The Centre is dedicated to the Laujar Jesuit Pedro Murillo Velarde, the most prominent intellectual in the Philippines in the 18th century. Nowadays, Pedro Murillo’s cartographic work has gained unusual relevance due to the territorial dispute between China and the Philippines over the control of the South China Sea. Access the full article here. REVISTA-REAL-_1-CENTRO-HISPANO-FILIPINO (1) Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreStatement of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte During the General Debate of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, 22 September 2020, General Assembly Hall, New York
Mr. President of the United Nations General Assembly; Mr. Secretary-General; Heads of state and government; Excellencies: I am honored to address you today on behalf of the Filipino people on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The invisible enemy that is COVID-19 has brought about an unfamiliar global landscape and unleashed a crisis without precedent. It is the biggest test the world and the United Nations faced since World War II. While the United Nations has brought relief and hope to so many countries and peoples around the world, it now finds itself saddled by a virus that has taken many lives and wrecked economies and social order. We are at a crossroads. How we address COVID-19 will define our future. For the Philippines, this means putting up all of the peoples of our united nations at the core of this response. We will need to ask hard and fundamental questions about the vision and mission that the United Nations conceptualized 75 years ago. We need to ask ourselves whether or not we have remained true and faithful to the United Nations’ principles and ideals. Mr. President, in the light of the realities of the present, the Philippines grieves with all of the families all over the world who lost their loved ones to this horrible virus. We extend our heartfelt condolences. We salute all frontliners who put their lives on the line even in countries not their own. So also do we honor and recognize the healthcare professionals who selflessly answered the call to combat the COVID-19 pandemic despite its virulence and unknown characteristics. While each nation has its own strategy in fighting the pandemic, what the world needs are coordinated international plans and efforts to pursue a common purpose. COVID-19 knows no border. It knows no nationality. It knows no race. It knows no gender. It knows no age. It knows no creed. The Philippines values the role that the United Nations plays in its fight against the pandemic. As a middle-income country whose economic advances have been derailed by the pandemic, we welcome the launch of the UN COVID Response and Recovery Fund. Ensuring universal access to anti COVID-19 technologies and products is pivotal in the global pandemic recovery. The world is in the race to find a safe and effective vaccine. When the world finds that vaccine, access to it must not be denied nor withheld. It should be made available to all, rich and poor nations alike, as a matter of policy. The Philippines joins our partners in the ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement in raising our collective voice: the COVID-19 vaccine must be considered a global public good. Let us be clear on this. We call for a global health agenda with enough resources and policy space for the World Health Organization. We need a WHO that is quick to coordinate and quicker to respond. The Philippines will do its part in the pooling of global resources. Our health workers are among the best. Mr. President, just as we needed stability and confidence because of the pandemic, geopolitical tensions continue to rise. Escalating tensions benefit no one. New flashpoints heighten fears and tend to tear peoples apart. When elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled flat. Given the size and...
read morePHLPost presents commemorative frame of historic’Murillo Velarde Circa 1734 Map” stamps To President Duterte
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is being presented with a commemorative frame of the historic “Murillo Velarde Map Circa 1734” Commemorative Stamps by Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) Postmaster General Norman “Mr. Postman” Fulgencio during the 500th Anniversary of the Philippine Part in the First Circumnavigation of the World held at the Veterans Park Calicoan Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Witnessing the historic event is Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go. The said stamp is the largest souvenir sheet, produced by PHLPost measuring 200 mm x 220 mm. It is printed using offset lithography, with special perforation and Intaglio as embellishments. The Philippine Postal Corporation launched the “Murillo Velarde circa 1734 Map”, regarded as the “Mother of All Philippine Maps” in celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Philippines’ and its role on the first circumnavigation of the world by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and the victory of Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan. “The launching of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map postage stamps is symbolic and historic for the country”, newly appointed Postmaster General Norman N. Fulgencio said. Believed to be the “holy grail” of Philippine cartography, the 1734 Murillo Velarde map shows the entire Philippine archipelago in such detail that it is regarded as the first ever scientific map of the Philippines. The map was named after the Spanish Jesuit friar Pedro Murillo Velarde who vividly described the detailed territory of our country nearly 300 years ago. “The postage stamp hopes to rekindle the sense of patriotism among our young people, develop their geographic awareness leading to a better understanding of our history and culture”, PHLPost said in a statement. The stamps released is in support of Republic Act no. 10086, otherwise known as the “Strengthening People’s Nationalism through Philippine History Act”, and pursuant to Executive Order no. 55 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in 2018 creating the National Quincentennial Commission (NQC) in charge of all the events and activities celebrating the “500 years of Victory and Humanity of the Filipinos”. A special limited copies of the Souvenir Sheet featuring the “Murillo Velarde 1734 Map” was also launched. Each stamps feature the images depicting a capsule of history of the Philippines during the later part of the 17th century. The stamp is the largest souvenir sheet, produced so far by the Philippine Postal Corporation. The size of the material is: 200 mm x 220 mm. with 12 stamps on both sides, each stamp with a corresponding denomination. It is printed using offset lithography, with special perforation and Intaglio as embellishments. The commemorative stamps are now available at the Philatelic Counter, Manila Central Post Office, all Mega Manila Post Offices, Postal Area 2, San Fernando, La Union, Postal Area 4, San Pablo, Postal Area 5, Mandaue, Postal Area 6, Iloilo, Postal Area 7, Davao, and Postal Area 8, Cagayan De Oro. For inquiries, please call 8527-01-08 or 8527-01-32 or follow/like the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasPhilately/ for updates. Source : https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/03/22/phlpost-presents-commemorative-frame-of-historicmurillo-velarde-circa-1734-map-stamps-to-president-duterte/ Share this:TweetShare on...
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