Portraits of Magellan at National Museum of Fine Arts

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

As part of the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world, the National Museum of the Philippines brings to public view, for the first time in many years , a pair of portraits depicting the navigators Hernando de Magallanes (Ferdinand Magellan) and Juan Sebastián Elcano, who together and with their crew achieved this great feat.The two portraits can be found, starting March 31, at the Spoliarium Hall of the National Museum of Fine Arts, where they will remain for a full year. 

These are the only portraits of these famous men in the Philippines originating in the Spanish colonial period, when they were considered illustrious heroes of the history of Spain in our archipelago, and are therefore priceless and highly significant to our nation’s cultural and historical heritage, both today for us in this quincentennial year and for future generations of Filipinos.

Part of a larger set that included Christopher Columbus and Hernán Cortés, these portraits were commissioned in Spain from Manila by the wealthy businesswoman and philanthropist, Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala, in 1856 and painted in Madrid by an unknown artist. They were thought to have been copied and adapted from earlier portraits then existing in Spain.

Why Doña Margarita sought to have these portraits made and brought to the Philippines is unknown. There is no record either of where they were displayed. Much later, in 1914, her daughter, Doña Trinidad Roxas de Ayala, viuda de Zobel, donated them to the National Library of the Philippines. The National Library then was responsible for the fine arts collection that eventually was incorporated anew under the National Museum of the Philippines.

Around 1938, President Manuel L. Quezon had these portraits transferred to Malacañan Palace, the official residence and seat of the President of the Philippines, where they were hung around the upper landing of the main stairs. By this means did they fortuitously survive the war, as the Palace escaped largely unscathed in the Battle of Manila in 1945 (unlike the National Museum and National Library which were destroyed).

In the decades since, they have remained at Malacañan Palace and are presently under the care of the Presidential Museum and Library, part of the Office of the President. We are grateful to our colleagues there, led by Director Edgar Ryan Faustino, for the opportunity to borrow them for a temporary exhibition, as well as to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea for approving our proposal to loan and feature them to the public during this historic anniversary.

Indeed, the opportunity for people to view and appreciate these portraits has, throughout the 165 years since they were painted, been very rare, such that they are little known, even to historians here and abroad.

We hope that our visitors will be able to see these portraits soon when we are allowed to reopen our museums in Manila. In the meantime, please abide by the prevailing Enhanced Community Quarantine and take care to stay safe as we continue to strive to #BeatCovid19.
 

References: Presidential Museum and Library, Office of the President of the Philippines.

Philippine Magazine, Vol. 26, No. 5 (October, 1929).

Catalog of Paintings, Sculptures and Historical Objects, National Library of the Philippines (1938).

Brandon Vera, Sage Northcutt join The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition Candidates in Episode 5

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

IF last week's episode is already intense enough, you haven't seen what's next.

ONE Championship's longest reigning titlist made his presence felt in episode 5 of The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition as reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon "The Truth" Vera paid the candidates a visit as a guest athlete.

The Filipino-American champion is definitely a winner in every sense of the word, as evidenced by him being the division's first and only champion since the organization introduced the belt in December 2015.

Vera has knocked down every challenge that came his way, amassing an impressive 25-8 (1 NC) mixed martial arts record, including emphatic title defenses against the likes of Igor Subora, Paul Cheng, Hideki Sekine, and Mauro “The Hammer” Cerilli -- all of whom falling in the first round.

But it could also offer a glimpse of what's in store for the future, all the more with budding contenders like Arjan “Singh” Bhullar and “Mighty Warrior” Kang Ji Won hot on Vera's heels and aching for a shot at the reigning champion.

That alone should make the candidates listen to every advice Vera would be willing to hand out as he provides an imposing presence in the episode's physical task.

But Vera isn't alone in providing their inputs to the candidates as "Super" Sage Northcutt will also be joining the ONE Heavyweight World Champion in the episode.

His good looks may captivate everyone watching, but the 25-year-old lightweight's brute force is no joke as he proved to everyone before that he's not just a pretty face.

Northcutt will be a welcome presence for the candidates as he awaits his next foe after having his ONE on TNT 4 match against Shinya "Tobikan Judan" Aoki in April 28 cancelled.

He, after all, knows a thing or two about being hungry to come back after suffering a first round defeat to Cosmo Alexandre at ONE: Enter The Dragon in May 2019 to go down to an 11-3 win-loss record.

Vera and Northcutt are just the latest from the top-caliber athletes who have appeared on the show after mixed martial arts legends Georges "Rush" St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, and ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee.

Other athletes set to guest star in future episodes include former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren, ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu Phogat, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jing Nan.

The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition invited 16 contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game of business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.



“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of candidates who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” consists of 13 episodes and will be seen in the Philippines on Thursdays, 8:50 pm on AXN cable network and on Mondays at 9 p.m. on One Sports.

Liza Soberano is Save the Children Philippines’ newest ambassador

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Renowned actress Liza Soberano fulfils her dream to be a child rights advocate as she was appointed Save the Children Philippines Ambassador who will campaign for children’s rights to survival, learning, protection, and meaningful participation.

Save the Children Philippines welcomed Soberano in line with its celebration of its 40th year of lifesaving work for and with children in the country.

“Officially joining Save the Children Philippines as an ambassador is a dream come true for me,” said Soberano who has been silently donating to the child rights organization and sponsoring children in Uganda since 2016.

“I just want to help people in any form and in any way that I can, and I feel like through Save the Children, I’ll be able to do so much more,” Soberano said.

Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Muyot lauds Soberano’s earnest desire to help the most deprived and marginalized children realize their full potential.

“We know that with Liza’s passion and influence, she will be inspiring a lot of children, youth, and adults to prioritize children’s rights at all times and create platforms for meaningful participation of children,” Muyot said.

In the 2021 Global Childhood Report by Save the Children, the Philippines ranked 110th out of 186 countries with children fully experiencing childhood. The study revealed that children in lower ranking countries have been missing out on childhood, including access to healthcare and nutrition, education, and protection from harmful practices like child labor and child marriage.

Prior to becoming an official Ambassador, Soberano has been addressing the said issues in her own ways. In 2018, she participated in Save the Children’s “Lahat Dapat” campaign against hunger and malnutrition, and rallied for children’s fair and equal access to nutritious food.

In 2020, Soberano supported Save the Children Philippines’ #SaveWithStories which raised funds for Project ARAL (Access to Resources for Alternative Learning) to help children from low income families and those with disabilities gain access to alternative learning modalities amidst school closures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soberano has also been vocal in her conviction to speak about women and children’s rights, protection of children from online sexual exploitation, and mental health.

Muyot added that working for and with children is both an opportunity and a huge responsibility. With Ambassadors Katarina Rodriguez, Xia Vigor, Ria Atayde, and Liza Soberano working closely with children, they will be able to amplify children’s voices, and help Save the Children engage into meaningful and sustainable partnerships with stakeholders to further support children’s development needs and respond to humanitarian crises.

“There’s nothing more grounding and heartwarming than seeing the look on people’s faces when you give them the simplest of assistance, may it be financial or just showing them that you are physically and mentally there to support them,” said Soberano.