P-pop group SB19 has been handed the official replicas of the Murillo Velarde Map after being recognized for bringing Philippine culture and heritage into pop music.
Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication Chairman Mel Velarde, who donated the original 1734 Murillo Velarde Map at the National Library of the Philippines, lauded the SB19’s role in instilling pride among Filipinos with their music.
“Just as the Velarde Map once guided explorers to new frontier, SB19’s music and dedication serve as a beacon for the next generation, lighting our way to endless possibilities,” Velarde said.
The turnover ceremony featured a music video presentation of SB19’s song “What,” which visually intertwined with the Murillo Velarde Map, symbolizing the group’s mission to elevate Filipino culture.
But what is the 1734 Murillo Velarde Map all about?
The Murillo Velarde Map stands as a significant historical document in the country for being the first scientific map showing the entire Philippine archipelago.
Considered as the “Mother of All Philippine Maps,” it was first published in 1734 by Spanish Jesuit Father Pedro Murillo Velarde, together with two Filipino artists: Francisco Suarez and Nicolas dela Cruz Bagay.
The map has been instrumental in asserting the Philippines’ territorial rights in the South China Sea, along with 270 ancient maps, during the hearing of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
The map included a small island, “Panacot,” now known as the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. Meanwhile, the Spratly Islands was labeled as “Los Bajos de Paragua.”
In 2016, The Hague ruling found China’s 9-dash-line territorial claims in the South China Sea is invalid and has no legal basis.
