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LIVE: Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio launches e-book on South China Sea Speakers: – Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio – Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario – Businessman Mel Velarde, the man who brought home the “Mother of All Maps”
LIVE: Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio launches e-book on South China Sea Speakers: – Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio – Former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario – Businessman Mel Velarde, the man who brought home the "Mother of All Maps" Posted by Rappler on Thursday, May 4, 2017 Source:https://web.facebook.com/rapplerdotcom/videos/1599403326747111/?extid=xDIu4rcjTL280G04 Share this:TweetShare on...
read moreNAMRIA gets official replica of 1734 Murillo-Velarde Map
The map regarded by historians as the “mother of all Philippine maps” found its way to yet another home. On 03 October 2019, Mr. Mel V. Velarde, Filipino technology entrepreneur and educator, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) turned over to NAMRIA, through Administrator, Usec. Peter N. Tiangco, PhD, an official replica of the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas Manila, 1734, otherwise known as the 1734 Murillo-Velarde Map. MGB Director Belen gives his welcome remarks at the start of the program. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. Mr. Velarde talks about his gift to NAMRIA in his message. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. The momentous occasion was held in the NAMRIA Boardroom and was also attended by staff from AIJC, NAMRIA Deputy Administrators Jose C. Cabanayan Jr. and Efren P. Carandang, Chief of Staff Rowena E. Bongalos, Branch Directors Ruel DM. Belen of the Mapping and Geodesy Branch (MGB), Dr. Rijaldia N. Santos of the Resource Data Analysis Branch, John Santiago F. Fabic of the Geospatial Information System Management Branch, Febrina E. Damaso of the Support Services Branch, Assistant Director John M. Labindalawa of the Hydrography Branch, other NAMRIA officials and employees. The event was hosted by Engr. Charisma Victoria D. Cayapan of MGB. The Deed of Donation is signed by Administrator Tiangco and Mr. Velarde with officials from NAMRIA and AIJC witnessing the event. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. First made and published in Manila in 1734, the map was created by Spanish Jesuit Friar Pedro Murillo Velarde (1696-1753), together with two Filipino artisans, namely, Francisco Suarez who drew the map and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay who engraved it upon the behest of then Governor-General Fernando Valdés Tamón, in compliance with an order from King Philip V of Spain. The map is unveiled by Administrator Tiangco and Mr. Velarde… …and the agreement for its donation is sealed with the customary handshake. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. Regarded as the first and most important scientific map of the Philippines by the World Digital Library, the map depicts the entire archipelago as flanked by two side panels, containing six vignettes on each side that describe various ethnic groups as well as cities and islands of the country. Also shown on the map as part of national territory are Shoal Panacot, now known as Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal and Los Bajos de Paragua, now referred to as the Island of Spratlys. In his message, Administrator Tiangco acknowledges the gift received by NAMRIA and also its great significance. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. Mr. Velarde gained ownership of the artifact on 04 November 2014 through an auction by Sotheby’s London in the United Kingdom. It was among the 80 heirlooms owned by the Duke of Northumberland, Ralph George Algernon Percy. Upon the recommendation of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio, Mr. Velarde joined and eventually won the bid over the phone. The map arrived in the Philippines on 29 April 2017 and was donated by Mr. Velarde to the Philippine Government through the Office of the Solicitor General. NAMRIA officials led by Administrator Tiangco and AIJC guests led by Mr. Velarde pose for a souvenir photo with the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas. –VENER QUINTIN C. TAGUBA, JR. In his message during the turnover ceremony in NAMRIA, Mr. Velarde spoke...
read moreEver heard of the 1734 Murillo Velarde map and why it should be renamed?
Historian Ambeth Ocampo says it should instead be called the ‘Velarde-Bagay’ map to highlight the contribution of its Filipino engraver Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay MANILA, Philippines – Tucked away in the basement of a castle in the English countryside once used to film the Harry Potter movies, the “Mother of all Philippine maps” resurfaced when severe flooding forced the Duke of Northumberland to sell among other heirlooms, the 1734 Murillo Velarde map. The stroke of serendipity meant the map would finally find its way back to the Philippines after centuries. Businessman Mel Velarde – prompted by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio – bid P12 million for the prized artifact and won during a Sotheby’s auction in 2012. Considered the most important map of the Philippines, the 1734 Murillo Velarde map – named after its cartographer Jesuit priest Pedro Murillo Velarde – defined in vivid detail the territory of the country nearly 300 years ago. It continues to do so until today. After all, a spotlight was put on the map after it played a crucial role in the Philippines’ case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. The map had been entered as evidence for the Philippines as it showed Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal (named “Panacot” on the map) has been part of the Philippine territory as far back as nearly 3 centuries ago. ‘SCARBOROUGH IS OURS.’ The Northern Luzon Command on June 6, 2016, receives a framed replica of the 1734 Murillo Map that shows the disputed Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) as part of the Philippines. PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHERN LUZON COMMAND Unlike the Philippines, China has not been able to produce a map older than this one, showing the shoal in its territory. With less than 20 copies worldwide, the Murillo Velarde map is also extremely rare and valued as the first scientific map of the Philippines. (READ: Ancient maps support PH claim over Scarborough) But for historian Ambeth Ocampo, it’s about time the Philippines considered renaming it. Why? Because Pedro Murillo Velarde was not the only person behind the creation of the map. What should it be called? Ocampo suggested calling the Murillo Velarde map the “Velarde-Bagay” instead. According to Ocampo, the map is important not only for its rarity, but also because it tells us one story about who we are as Filipinos. Ocampo said while the map is largely known to have been drawn by Velarde, what’s been mostly forgotten is that it was engraved and printed by a man named Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, who signed himself an “Indio Tagalo” on the map. “The most important map of the 18th century is called the Murillo Velarde map, which I hope, will be renamed the Velarde-Bagay map,” Ocampo said. “While traditionally the map should be named for the cartographer, because we’re Pinoy, we should highlight the Philippine contribution. The man may have drawn a map but without the Indio who signed, you will have no beautiful map,” he added. For Ocampo, renaming the map to include both its creators gives credit to whom it is due. “The map shows you not just the territory but much, much more,” he said. Encircled in this photo is ‘Panacot’ shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal (Scarborough shoal) or Bajo de Masinloc. SCREENSHOT FROM THE US LIBRARY OF CONGRESS...
read moreRare map that bolstered Philippines’ case in territorial dispute with China sold for $1 million
MANILA – A copy of a rare map that helped bolster the Philippines’ case against China in a dispute over the South China Sea was sold on Saturday (Sept 14) for 40 million pesos (S$1.06 million). The price was nearly four times what a tech executive had paid for another copy at a Sotheby’s auction in London in 2014. Mr Mel Velarde, chief executive of local telco NOW, bought his copy for 12 million pesos. The map was expected to fetch at least 18 million pesos. A four-minute bidding war among two art collectors inside the gallery and a third one bidding via a proxy pushed the price to 40 million pesos. Ms Lori Juvida, a gallery owner, tendered the winning bid. She later told The Straits Times it was “for a friend”. His identity has not been disclosed but he is believed to be a Chinese Filipino. Mr Jaime Ponce de Leon, the director of Leon Gallery, where the auction was held said: “The strength of its price is its rarity and its historical significance… As a document of history, it is very important.” He said it helped that the map had figured prominently in a case the Philippines brought before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2013 challenging China’s claim to over two-thirds of the South China Sea. The map, first published in 1734 by the Jesuit cartographer Pedro Murillo Velarde, was among 270 maps presented to a five-man arbitration tribunal to back the Philippines’ rights to parts of the South China Sea that China was also claiming. It drew Scarborough Shoal – referred to back then as Panacot – as part of the country’s territories. The shoal lies just 358km west of the Philippines’ main Luzon island. The United States eventually mediated a deal. Both sides agreed to withdraw from Scarborough. The Philippines pulled out its ships. But China stayed, and later sealed off the entire atoll. The tribunal in The Hague sided with the Philippines and struck down in 2016 China’s claim to the South China Sea. It concluded that land features, not historic rights, determine maritime claims, and ruled that the “nine-dash line” encircling two million sq km of the South China Sea on modern Chinese maps is illegal. It upheld the Philippines’ rights to over 200 nautical miles of “exclusive economic zone”, which included Scarborough. China, however, has ignored the ruling. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte raised the case with China’s leader Xi Jinping when he visited China last month. But he was told China would not change its position on the matter. His spokesman Salvador Panelo later said the two leaders “agreed to disagree”, and that Mr Duterte would no longer bring up the ruling with Mr Xi. The 1734 map is by itself an important historical artefact. It was engraved by printer Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay on eight copper plates. The plates were captured by Britain when it occupied Manila from 1762 to 1764, and taken to England as war booty. The University of Cambridge used the plates to print copies of the map before the plates were “rubbed down” and re-used to make other maps. The copy auctioned on Saturday had belonged to the Duke of Northumberland. Fewer than a dozen copies of the map exist today....
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