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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ PROCLAMATION NO. 1423, November 29, 2007 ]

RECOGNIZING FR. ANDRÉS DE URDANETA'S 5TH CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AS WELL AS HIS CONTRIBUTION TO PHILIPPINE CULTURE AND HISTORY

WHEREAS, Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta was a Spanish Augustinian friar, sail-captain and explorer and known for discovering and plotting a path across the Pacific from the Philippines to Acapulco, Mexico (New Spain), which came to be known as Urdaneta's route;

WHEREAS, Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta was in the expedition that left Spain for the Philippines on November 21, 1564. Fr. Urdaneta was with Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on board the ship Capitana that sailed along with the galleons San Pablo and San Pedro and the tenders San Juan and San Lucas;

WHEREAS, Manila galleons later used Urdaneta's route for the next 250 years and brought Asian culture to Europe through Mexico;

WHEREAS, it was Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta together with Miguel Lopez de Legaspi who built monumental Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu and was also responsible for the Christianization of the Province;

WHEREAS, Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta's name is believed to be the etymological source of City of Urdaneta, Pangasinan;

WHEREAS, there is a need to recognize the achievements of Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta as well as his contributions to Philippine Culture and History;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, do hereby proclaim the recognition of Fr. ANDRÉS De URDANETA'S 5TH CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION and in furtherance of such acknowledgment, a fifteen-man committee appointed by the President shall be formed to study and recommend to the President ways to augment the body of historical knowledge concerning Fr. Andrés de Urdaneta's exploits in the Philippines;

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.ℒαwρhi৷

Done in the City of Manila, this 29th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seven.

(Sgd.) GLORIA M. ARROYO

By the President:

(Sgd.) HON. EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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