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Mel Velarde

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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.

Education

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Velarde graduated summa cum laude from Boston University with a degree in Liberal Studies Major in Interdisciplinary Studies covering Humanities, Sciences and Mathematics. He received his master's degree in Business Economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific.[7]

Velarde took up the Owners and Presidents Management Program at Harvard Business School, the International Human Rights Law summer course at Oxford University, and Masters Cinematography at the American Society of Cinematographers, among other executive education programs and professional certified training programs.[8]

Early life

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His father Meliton suffered from an eye disease at his birth which led to total visual impairment.

At eight years old, Velarde was the youngest member of the Professional Photographers Association of the Philippines and accredited press photographer at the Philippine Constitutional Convention in 1971 and 1972.[9][10][11] He was awarded a plaque of recognition as the World's Youngest Photographer by Supreme Court Justice Felix Makasiar in 1972.[12]

At age 11, Velarde was a national chess and Game of the Generals finalist, and champion of national Siege game.[13]

At 15 years old, Velarde was named the national champion in a weekly televised quiz bee, "Spin-A-Win," on Channel 9. He brought home the grand prize, a brand new 1978 Toyota Corolla.[14] At this age, he was elected Secretary General of the Professional Photographers Association of the Philippines.[11]

At 19, he was invited by the United Nations as Honorary Speaker in the United Nations International Youth Leaders’ Conference in New York City in his capacity as Philippine Youth Non-Governmental Organization delegation chairman.

Career

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He returned to the Philippines after the 1986 People Power revolution and became the campaign manager for Raul Manglapus in the 1987 Senate elections. He then moved to ABS-CBN to head the News and Public Affairs Department.[11]

Velarde co-founded SkyCable Philippines in 1990. He served as its Executive Vice President and general manager.[11] In 2005, he acquired the predecessor company of Now Corporation.[15]

Velarde is Chairman of NOW Corporation,[16] a publicly listed firm in the Philippine Stock Exchange with investments in technology, media and telecommunications.[17] In 2022, during her visit to the Philippines, United States Vice President Kamala Harris announced the partnership of the US with NOW Corporation's affiliate, NOW Telecom, for 5G technology deployment, through a grant from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). In a fact sheet, the White House said, “These efforts should provide faster and more reliable digital services and increased broadband Internet access for Filipinos countrywide.”[18]

Velarde is also Chairman of the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC).[19][20] Founded in 1980, AIJC has a Graduate School, which offers master's degree programs in communication and journalism; a Research, Policy, and Advocacy Unit, which undertakes policy and action research and project management in various development areas; and a Professional Development Program, which provides training for journalists, communicators, development managers, and other professionals from the public and private sectors.[21]

In 2009, Velarde received the Top Taxpayer Award from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) after Velarde Inc. was recognized as Top ONETT Taxpayer for Revenue Region No. 8, having made the highest tax payment in that year.[22][23]

In 2015, Velarde acquired the Murillo Velarde 1734 Map through Sotheby's auction in London.[19] The map served as critical evidence in the Philippines’ win against China's claim over the West Philippine Sea in 2016.[24][25] Velarde has been distributing replicas of the map to various institutions, barangays, and municipalities nationwide.[26] It will be on display at the National Library of the Philippines’ permanent gallery upon its opening.[27]

References

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  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.
  7. ^ "Now Corp Annual Report for fiscal year ending 2017" (PDF).
  8. ^ "About Me". melvelarde.com. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  9. ^ Batuigas, Ruther. (Ed.). (November 26, 1972). "The youngest lens alive". Professional Photographers Association of the Philippines magazine.
  10. ^ "The camera eye". Republic Weekly with Newsday Volume III, No. 36. May 3, 1972.
  11. ^ a b c d Magkilat, Bernie Cahiles (July 9, 2003). "Mel V. Velarde, creating and sharing wealth". Manila Bulletin.
  12. ^ Dolor, Loreto, D. (August 1972). "Young boy with a mission". Philippine Panorama.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Montejo, Jimmy (September 1, 2024). "Mel Velarde: From prodigy to CEO". Manila Standard. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  14. ^ "The greening meadows of <Spin-a-Win>". TV Times. June 29 – July 5, 1980.
  15. ^ "Next Mobile shareholder acquires two-thirds stake in publicly-listed Cashrounds". The Philippine Star. March 22, 2005.
  16. ^ Hilario, Edgard (October 4, 2022). "NOW Corp eyes 5G, 26GHz; Seeks to acquire Newsnet". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  17. ^ "Company Profile". NOW Corporation. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Rosales, Elijah (December 17, 2022). "NOW Telecom secures US grant for 5G services". The Philippine STAR. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Jadloc, Mariamme (October–December 2018). "Map Rights Wrongs: The 1734 Murillo Velarde map" (PDF). UPDate Diliman. pp. 20–23. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  20. ^ "Board of Trustees". Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  21. ^ "Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication" (PDF). Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  22. ^ dela Cruz, Pennie (June 7, 2015). "Mother of all PH maps coming home". Inquirer.net. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  23. ^ "Velarde Inc to subscribe to increase in ICTV capital". The Philippine STAR. March 18, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  24. ^ Tordesillas, Ellen (May 6, 2017). "1734 Murillo Velarde map is back in Manila". VERA Files.
  25. ^ Dancel, Raul (September 16, 2019). "Copy of rare 18th-century Philippine map sold for $1 million".
  26. ^ "Turnover of Murillo Velarde 1734 Map Replicas Archives". AIJC. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  27. ^ Cupin, Beas (September 6, 2024). "Mel Velarde on the meaning of the 1734 Murillo-Velarde map". Rappler. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
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