President Marcos receives the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map
President Marcos Officially Receives Historic Murillo Velarde 1734 Map President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. formally accepted the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map during its presentation at Malacañan Palace on Friday, December 6, 2024. Often referred to as the “mother of all Philippine maps,” this landmark piece was crafted in 1734 by Filipino cartographer Francisco Suarez and engraved by Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay, under the guidance of Spanish Jesuit Father Pedro Murillo Velarde. The map holds immense historical significance, as it was cited in the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. This landmark decision rejected China's expansive claims over the West Philippine Sea and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over disputed areas. Filipino technology entrepreneur Mel Velarde acquired the map in a London auction in 2014 and later donated it to the Philippine Government as a tribute to the nation’s heritage. Officially titled Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map remains a powerful symbol of the country’s rich history and its enduring assertion of territorial sovereignty. Present during the ceremony are First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former associate justice Antonio Carpio of the Supreme Court, members of the diplomatic corps, among others. PHOTOS BY YUMMIE DINGDING / PPA POOL
President Marcos Officially Receives Historic Murillo Velarde 1734 Map President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. formally accepted the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map during its presentation at Malacañan Palace on Friday, December 6, 2024. Often referred to as the “mother of all Philippine maps,” this landmark piece was crafted in 1734 by Filipino cartographer Francisco Suarez and engraved by Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay, under the guidance of Spanish Jesuit Father Pedro Murillo Velarde. The map holds immense historical significance, as it was cited in the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. This landmark decision rejected China's expansive claims over the West Philippine Sea and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over disputed areas. Filipino technology entrepreneur Mel Velarde acquired the map in a London auction in 2014 and later donated it to the Philippine Government as a tribute to the nation’s heritage. Officially titled Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas, the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map remains a powerful symbol of the country’s rich history and its enduring assertion of territorial sovereignty. Present during the ceremony are First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former associate justice Antonio Carpio of the Supreme Court, members of the diplomatic corps, among others. PHOTOS BY YUMMIE DINGDING / PPA POOL
PHOTO BY YUMMIE DINGDING / PPA POOL
