Mel Velarde

Mel Velasco Velarde is a Filipino businessman. He is chairman of the Filipino telecommunications conglomerate, Now Corporation[1] and NOW Telecom, and chairman and CEO of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC).[2] He is known for acquiring the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, regarded as "The Mother of All Philippine Maps,"[3][4] through an auction at Sotheby's London in 2014.[5][6] The map served as critical evidence in the Philippines’ win against China's claim over the West Philippine Sea in 2016.

  1. ^ "Mel V. Velarde". NOW Corporation. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "Board of Trustees". AIJC. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "THE MURILLO-VELARDE MAP, REGARDED AS "MOTHER OF ALL PHILIPPINE MAPS" (MANAMO)".
  4. ^ "Philippine Map Sells for P46.72 Million at Auction". Esquiremag.ph.
  5. ^ "1734 Murillo Velarde map is back in Manila". Vera Files. May 6, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  6. ^ hermes (September 16, 2019). "Copy of rare 18th-century Philippine map sold for $1 million". The Straits Times. Retrieved May 21, 2021.