The public will soon be able to view the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map up close, as it finds its permanent home in the Permanent Gallery of the National Library of the Philippines (NLP).
Cesar Gilbert Q. Adriano, Director of the NLP, led the inauguration of the Permanent Gallery on August 9, 2024.
Known as the “Mother of all Philippine Maps,” the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map was a crucial piece of evidence in the Philippines’ landmark victory at the South China Sea Arbitration in 2016. The map provided historical proof of Philippine sovereignty over contested areas, strengthening the country’s case against China’s claims.
The first scientific map of the Philippines, it was prepared by Spanish Jesuit Friar Pedro Murillo Velarde together with two Filipinos—Francisco Suarez, who drew the map, and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay, who engraved it.
The journey of the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map to the Philippines is a story of dedication and cultural pride. The map was discovered to be among the 80 heirlooms owned by the Duke of Northumberland, Ralph George Algernon Percy, which were scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s London on November 4, 2014. Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Tirol Carpio shared this information with various public and private museums and individuals, including Mel Velasco Velarde, a Filipino technology entrepreneur and educator who sits as Chairman of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and the NOW Group.
Recognizing the historical value of the map—which also notably shared his last name—Velarde outbid other contenders with a winning offer of £170,500.00 (approximately PHP12 million at the time). Velarde convinced the British government that the map was not part of British patrimony, allowing him to bring it home in 2016. On April 21, 2017, Velarde donated the map as a gift to the Filipino people through a deed of donation signed with the Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippine Government, represented by Hon. Jose C. Calida.
