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Consul General Senen T. Mangalile (left) receives a replica of the Murillo Velarde Map of 1734 from Ms. Therese San Diego Torres (right), President of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), in a turnover ceremony held at the Philippine Center on 20 March 2025. (Photo by Sherlyn Roxas) |
NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate General and Sentro Rizal New York on Thursday, March 20, received an official replica of the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, otherwise known as the Murillo Velarde Map of 1734, from the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) during a turnover ceremony held at Philippine Center in New York.
Dubbed as the “Mother of all Philippine Maps,” the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map was created by Spanish Jesuit Friar Pedro Murillo Velarde, illustrated by Filipino cartographer Francisco Suarez, and engraved by Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay. As the first scientific and comprehensive map of the Philippine archipelago, it remains a significant artifact that highlights the country’s rich cartographic heritage.
The map played a pivotal role in the Philippines’ territorial claims, serving as fundamental evidence in the landmark 2016 Arbitral Ruling on the South China Sea by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which upheld the nation’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
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The official replica of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, now on display at Sentro Rizal New York, is a significant historical artifact that helped affirm the Philippines' territorial claims in the 2016 Arbitral Ruling on the South China Sea. (Photo by Nikka Arenal) |
In remarks delivered during the turnover ceremony, Consul General Senen T. Mangalile emphasized the historical and diplomatic importance of the donation, stating that: “Maps tell stories—not just of places, but of people, of struggles, and of legacies. Today, as we welcome the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to Sentro Rizal New York, we honor the truth it has preserved and the role it has played in shaping our nation’s history.”
He added, “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.”
Ms. Therese San Diego Torres, President of AIJC, stated that “Today’s ceremonial turnover of the commemorative Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to Sentro Rizal New York, continues the narrative of the Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin (“Our Map, Our Story”) campaign. This campaign seeks to engage Filipinos, both at home and abroad in understanding and celebrating our shared history and cultural identity as a nation. Sentro Rizal New York, with its mission of cultural promotion, is a vital platform for this cause. The map is more than just an artifact. It is a piece of our collective history, a symbol of our roots, our land, and the story of our journey as a people.”
The Murillo Velarde 1734 Map remained outside the Philippines for centuries, eventually becoming part of the collection of the Duke of Northumberland in England. In 2014, the map was auctioned at Sotheby’s London, where Mel Velasco Velarde, Chairman of the AIJC and the NOW Group of Companies, recognized its historical significance and successfully acquired it for £170,500 (approximately PHP 12 million).
Velarde later donated the map to the Philippine government, which was formally received by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during a turnover ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on 06 December 2024. Today, the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map is housed at the National Library of the Philippines, where it is preserved as a national treasure and an enduring symbol of Philippine sovereignty.
The replica of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map is now on display at Sentro Rizal New York. To learn more about the significance of the map, watch the YouTube video “Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin” featuring P-Pop group SB19.
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