Sentro Rizal New York Receives Commemorative Murillo Velarde 1734 Map

New York City, U.S.A.—Filipinos in New York now have the opportunity to view the historic Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, known as the “Mother of All Philippine Maps,” at Sentro Rizal New York, located at the Philippine Consulate General.

In a turnover ceremony with Consul General Senen T. Mangalile on March 20, 2025, Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) President Therese San Diego Torres represented AIJC Chairman Mel Velasco Velarde, who donated an original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to the Philippine government. The map donated by Mr. Velarde is now permanently displayed at the National Library of the Philippines, and commemorative copies are being distributed to promote awareness and appreciation of Philippine history and territorial sovereignty.

The ceremonial turnover is part of the Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin campaign—an initiative that aims to engage Filipinos at home and abroad in celebrating their shared history and cultural identity.

The map is particularly notable for its role in the Philippines’ legal victory in the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on the West Philippine Sea. It serves as a tool for understanding the nation’s maritime rights.

Torres shared that as part of the Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin campaign, AIJC is spearheading a new initiative, “Mapping Our Roots: Teaching the History of Philippine Sovereignty and the West Philippine Sea with the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map.” This training program will equip Grade 10 Araling Panlipunan and Senior High School Media and Information Literacy teachers to inspire the next generation to embrace and protect our maritime heritage.

AIJC is calling on partners, including Sentro Rizal and Filipino communities abroad, to support this initiative. The commemorative map’s new home at Sentro Rizal New York will serve as a cultural hub, helping Filipinos in the city preserve and celebrate the Philippines’ rich history.

In his speech, Consul General Senen T. Mangalile said, “It is only fitting that this map finds a home here at Sentro Rizal New York, where it will serve as a bridge between our past and our future. For Filipinos in the diaspora, Sentro Rizal is a sanctuary of culture and identity, a place where our shared history comes alive. This map will now be part of that mission, reminding us that wherever we may be in the world, we remain connected to our homeland.”

A special video produced for the Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin campaign featuring the members of globally recognized P-Pop group SB19, who are Youth and Sentro Rizal Ambassadors of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), was played at the event. The video is a product of collaboration between AIJC, the National Library of the Philippines, NCCA, 1Z Entertainment, SB19, and Neitiviti Studios.

For more information on how to support the Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin campaign and the teacher training, email AIJC at info@aijc.com.ph.