Our Map, Our Story
P-pop group SB19 are honored with replicas of the Murillo Velarde 1734 map
Words Maia San Diego
Photos courtesy of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication
November 6, 2024
SB19 with the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map at the Permanent Gallery of the National Library of the Philippines.
Dubbed the “P-pop Kings,” SB19 pays tribute to the mother.
In their 2021 music video for the song “What?”, the group prominently featured the Murillo Velarde 1734 map, known as the mother of all Philippine maps.
On October 29, 2024, at the National Library of the Philippines, the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) and Mel V. Velarde presented replicas of the map to SB19 in recognition of their role in raising awareness about this historic artifact.
Turnover of the replicas of the Murillo Velarde 1734 map to SB19 with Mr. Mel V. Velarde (also in the photo: Vivian F. Salinas and Victor Chriscien S. Velarde)
The Murillo Velarde 1734 map is recognized as the first scientific map of the Philippines. In 1729, Governor-General Fernando Valdes Tamon commissioned Spanish Jesuit cartographer Pedro Murillo Velarde to create the map. Murillo Velarde collaborated with two Filipinos: Francisco Suarez, who provided the drawings, and Nicolas de la Cruz Bagay, who engraved the map. The original copperplate matrices, which measured 68.58 cm x 106.68 cm, have since been melted down.
At a 2014 Sotheby’s auction in London, Mel V. Velarde (unrelated to Murillo Velarde) won the map for P12 million.
The mother of all Philippine maps was among over 200 ancient maps referenced by the Philippines during its claim to the West Philippine Sea against China. In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark case, invalidating Beijing’s nine-dash line claim, and the map has since been donated to the Philippine government.
SB19 has earned a reputation for embracing Filipino culture and showcasing it on the global stage. Their music video for “What?” features the Murillo Velarde 1734 map towards the end, reinforcing the song’s message of individuality and pride in one’s origins. The map’s historical significance in relation to the country’s territorial claims promotes a stronger sense of national identity among Filipinos. SB19’s music video demonstrates the power of iconography in conveying meaningful messages through popular media.
As ambassadors for the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Sentro Rizal, SB19 actively supports their advocacy of promoting Filipino culture.
During the turnover ceremony for the map replicas, Mel V. Velarde dedicated segments of the map to each SB19 member, reflecting their birthplaces and hometowns. This highlighted the parallels between the group’s commitment to promoting Filipino culture and the significance of the Murillo Velarde 1734 map. The key message of the educational campaign spearheaded by
AIJC is “Mapa Natin, Kwento Natin” (Our Map, Our Story), which aims to raise awareness about the map and its importance in Philippine history and cultural preservation.
The original Murillo Velarde 1734 map is currently exhibited in the Permanent Gallery on the 4th floor of the National Library of the Philippines.
