PH Embassy in Lisbon Hosts Conference on PH History through PH Historians
From left: Camarines Sur Partido State University Magellan Studies Center Professor IV and Director Dr. Danilo Gerona, Ateneo de Manila University Social Sciences School Associate Professor and Department of History Former Chairman Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria, Philippine National Historical Commission Chairman Dr. Rene Escalante, Ateneo de Zamboanga University Visiting Professor Dr. Felice Noelle Rodriguez, and Ateneo De Manila University Department of History Assistant Professor Dr. Francis M. Navarro at “Magalhães, Magallanes, Magellan: Magellan in Philippine History through Philippine Historians” conference on 04 December 2019. (Lisbon PE photo)
LISBON 19 December 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon ended their year activities with a conference entitled, “Magalhães, Magallanes, Magellan: Magellan in Philippine History through Philippine Historians,” at Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa on 04 December 2019.
The conference, which received widespread coverage in the leading Portuguese daily, Diario de Noticias, a hundred guests, including historians, writers, diplomats, the Portuguese government and media representatives, Filipino community members, and history buffs from all over Portugal and as far as France and Spain.
Philippines’ five leading historians were brought together to talk about Ferdinand Magellan in the context of Philippine history, bringing the Philippine narratives on Magellan and Lapu-Lapu to Portugal.
Philippine National Historical Commission Chairman Dr. Rene Escalante spoke on Magellan and the Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines Ateneo de Manila University Department of History Assistant Professor Dr. Francis M. Navarro elaborated on the Philippines at the time of arrival of Magellan, Ateneo de Zamboanga University Visiting Professor Dr. Felice Noelle Rodriguez spoke on “The Malay World Magellan Stepped into: Melaka and Cebu, Trading, Raiding and Interconnections,” Camarines Sur Partido State University Magellan Studies Center Professor IV and Director Dr. Danilo Gerona on Magellan and the Battle of Mactan, and Ateneo de Manila University Social Sciences School Associate Professor and Department of History Former Chairman Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo — who is also the former Chairman of the National Historical Commission and of the National Commission of Cultural and the Arts — whose topic is Remembering Magellan in the last five centuries.
Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria expressed her thanks to the Portuguese Foreign Ministry and the Estructura de Missao for their support of this initiative of the Philippine Embassy, as well as to the Sociedade Geografia de Lisboa for their keen interest in hosting a first-ever conference by five Filipino historians in their almost 150 years of existence during her opening remarks.
“The aim of the conference was not to rewrite our (Philippines) history, but rather like deconstructed food, the idea was to take elements of our history to study the narratives. We are here to share a story from a precise period in our history, one where magnanimity and humanity are central themes around Magellan’s participation in our history,” Ambassador Feria also added.
Secretary-General of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, on his part, shed light on the Portuguese perspective to the 5th Centennial commemorations of the first circumnavigation by the Magellan-El Cano expedition. Among others, Ambassador Mendonça e Moura noted that in leading the expedition, Ferdinand Magellan “projected the principles of innovation and knowledge.” He also added that the legacy of “Fernao Magalhaes” is very relevant on many fronts — it was an investment in knowledge and allowed for an exchange of values between cultures which gave attention to the oceans on behalf of the Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, Ambassador Alvaro Mendonça e Moura.
The day after the conference, the five Philippine historians were accompanied by Ambassador Feria. They headed to Sabrosa in Tras os Montes region of Portugal, where it is said to be Ferdinand Magellan’s homeland. The group paid a courtesy call on Sabrosa Mayor Dr. Domingo Manuel Alves Carvas, with former Sabrosa Mayor incumbent Estrutura de Missão para as Comemorações de Fernão de Magalhães President Dr. Jose Manuel Marques.
The conference is the fourth installment of the Magellan Lecture Series organized by the Philippine Embassy since 2017, which was made possible by the support of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and generous support from former Senator and now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda. The lectures presented in these Conferences will be published by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and translations into Portuguese and in Spanish are in the works. END
From left: Vice-president of Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa Comandante Filipe Mendes Pinto, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria, Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa President Professor Luis Aires-Barros, Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Ambassador Álvaro Mendonça e Moura, and President of Asian Commission, Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa Ambassador Fernando Ramos Machado during “Magalhães, Magallanes, Magellan: Magellan in Philippine History through Philippine Historians” conference on 04 December 2019. Ambassador Feria emphasizes in her remarks that “We are here to share a story from a precise period in our history, one were magnanimity and humanity are central themes around Ferdinand Magellan’s participation in our history and 500 years later, we are here to tell you our story.” (Lisbon PE photo)
Chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and Vice-Chairperson of the National Quincentennial Committee Dr. Rene Escalaniscusses “Victory and Humanity,” the Filipino way of commemorating the 500th anniversary of the circumnavigation of the world by Magellan. (Lisbon PE photo)
From left: Camarines Sur Partido State University Magellan Studies Center Professor IV and Director Dr. Danilo Gerona, Ateneo De Manila University Department of History Assistant Professor Dr. Francis M. Navarro, Ateneo de Manila University Social Sciences School Associate Professor and Department of History Former Chairman Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo, Ateneo de Zamboanga University Visiting Professor Dr. Felice Noelle Rodriguez, Sabrosa Mayor Dr. Domingos Manuel Alves Carvas, Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria, Philippine National Historical Commission Chairman Dr. Rene Escalante, Sabrosa Vice Mayor of António Ribeiro da Graça, and Estrutura de Missão para as Comemorações de Fernão de Magalhães President Dr. Jose Manuel Marquez pose for a photo opportunity for the courtesy call of five Philippine historians. (Lisbon PE photo)
Philippine Ambassdaor to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria (fifth from left), with the five Philippine historians Camarines Sur Partido State University Magellan Studies Center Professor IV and Director Dr. Danilo Gerona (third from right), Ateneo De Manila University Department of History Assistant Professor Dr. Francis M. Navarro (rightmost), Ateneo de Manila University Social Sciences School Associate Professor and Department of History Former Chairman Dr. Ambeth R. Ocampo (fifth from right), Ateneo de Zamboanga University Visiting Professor Dr. Felice Noelle Rodriguez (third from left), Philippine National Historical Commission Chairman Dr. Rene Escalante (fourth from left), pay a visit at the house of Ferdinand Magellan, Sabrosa’s historical landmark. Accompanying them are Sabrosa Vice Mayor António Ribeiro da Graça (second from left) and Kristoffer Ardena (second from right), a Filipino artist who is working with the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon for an art project between the children of Sabrosa and Cebu. (Lisbon PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.lisbonpe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinPortugal/.