Office of the Vice President receives official replica of the 1734 Murillo Velarde map
Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) Chairman Mel V. Velarde presented an official replica of the Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas Manila, 1734, to Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo on September 4, 2017.
The Office of the Vice President expressed appreciation through the following post on its official Facebook page:
Today, we at the Office of the Vice President received an official replica of the “Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas Manila, 1734,” or the 1734 Murillo Velarde map.
It is one of the oldest maps of our country, crafted by a Jesuit priest, Father Pedro Murillo Velarde, together with two Filipinos, Francisco Suarez and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay. The map shows the entire Philippine archipelago.
Mr. Mel Velasco Velarde, a Filipino technology entrepreneur and educator, acquired the original map at a Sotheby’s London auction in 2014 for 12 million pesos. He is now giving replicas to government officials and other entities as a means of preserving Philippine history.
We are thankful to Mr. Velarde, his family, and his colleagues for paying us a visit. Given its significance, this gift will surely hold a prominent place in our office.
