THE formal launching of “We’ve Always Been on the Map: The Murillo Bulletin Basilan Issue” has reaffirmed Basilan’s long-standing presence in Philippine and world maritime history.
The launch, held on Wednesday, January 28, in Zamboanga City, unveiled the Basilan Special Issue of The Murillo Bulletin, the official biannual journal of the Philippine Map Collectors Society (Phimcos), which is dedicated to the study of antique maps, prints, and historic documents relating to the Philippines.
The Bulletin is named after the seminal Murillo Velarde Map of 1734, which is widely regarded as the “Mother of all Philippine Maps” for its panoramic and scientifically detailed depiction of the archipelago.
Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman noted that the Murillo Bulletin Basilan Issue clearly showed that Basilan has never been absent, as the province has always been on the map.
“For a long time, our generation thought that we were just an insignificant dot on the map. But now, realizing that we were very strategic, we’ve contributed a lot to the history of this part of our region,” Hataman said in an interview on the sidelines of the event.
She said the publication strengthens Basilan’s resolve to reclaim its name and standing, hoping the bulletin would help correct long-standing negative narratives about the province through credible references and data-based historical evidence.
Lawyer Antonio Carpio, retired senior associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, discussed at length during the event the 1875 Carta General del Archipelago Filipino.
The Carta General del Archipelago is regarded as the most complete and detailed official map of the Philippine territory during the Spanish period.
Carpio presented historical maps as legal, political, and ethnographic documents, showing how cartography corroborates questions of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national memory.
Carpio handed over a copy of the map to the City Government of Isabela, which was received by Hataman.
The mayor said they would encourage scholars from Basilan to conduct research and help rewrite what is written online about the province, now that they have “credible references, credible sources of our history.”
Organized by the City Government of Isabela de Basilan, the event brought together scholars, cultural workers, public officials, and advocates of local history and historical cartography, marking a significant milestone in evidence-based historical reclamation. (SunStar Zamboanga)