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Press Release
CHICAGO PCG HOSTS LECTURE BY PROFESSOR AMBETH OCAMPO AT THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY
Chicago, IL – The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago hosted a special lecture by renowned Filipino historian Professor Ambeth R. Ocampo on 25 October 2025, at the Newberry Library. The event brought together scholars, community members, and history enthusiasts to explore the Philippines’ rich archival presence at one of America’s most respected research institutions.
The program opened with remarks by Ms. Astrida Orle Tantillo, President of the Newberry Library, who welcomed guests and expressed her enthusiasm for Professor Ocampo’s exploration of the Library’s Philippine holdings - materials that offer unique insights into the country’s history, identity, and global connections.
Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano then introduced Professor Ocampo, celebrating his transformative impact on historical scholarship. “Professor Ocampo has made history accessible to generations of Filipinos through his columns, lectures, and books - infusing the study of the past with curiosity, humor, and humanity,” she remarked. The Consul General noted that the lecture also served as a meaningful culmination of the Consulate’s Filipino American History Month celebrations, honoring the enduring contributions and vibrant heritage of Filipinos throughout the United States.
In his hour-long presentation titled “The Philippines at the Newberry Library,” Professor Ocampo guided the audience through several remarkable items from the Newberry’s collection that trace the Philippine narrative across centuries. These included Dr. Jose Rizal’s medical notebook, Clínica médica; Antonio de Morga’s 17th-century chronicle Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas; early Philippine maps, including Pedro Murillo Velarde’s 1734 Carta hydrographica y chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas; and a rare late 19th-century printed copy of the Philippine National Anthem.
Through his engaging lecture, Professor Ocampo emphasized that these archival treasures are not merely relics of the colonial past but living narratives that illuminate the Filipino experience. He invited audiences to view the Newberry’s holdings as stories that reveal how Filipinos lived, who they were, and how their legacy continues to shape contemporary identity and collective memory.
The Philippine Consulate General expressed its appreciation to the Newberry Library, who co-organized the event, for its partnership, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cultural awareness and scholarship that deepen understanding of the Philippines’ history and its people.
Photos 2 and 3: Ms. Astrida Orle Tantillo (left) and Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano (right),
deliver their remarks before the lecture of Prof. Ocampo.
Photo 4: Prof. Ocampo presents some remarkable items from the Newberry’s collection including Dr. Jose
Rizal’s medical notebook, Clínica médica; Antonio de Morga’s 17th-century chronicle Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas; early Philippine maps, including Pedro Murillo Velarde’s 1734 Carta hydrographica y
chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas; and a rare late 19th-century printed copy of the Philippine National
Anthem.
Photo 5: From L to R: Consul Ella Karina Mitra, Newberry’s Director of the Center for Renaissance
Studies Lia Markey, Newberry President Astrida Orle Tantillo, Professor Ambeth Ocampo, Consul General
Melanie Rita Diano, Consul Ma. Theresa Alders, and Consul Melvin Almonguera
Chicago, IL – The Philippine Consulate General in Chicago hosted a special lecture by renowned Filipino historian Professor Ambeth R. Ocampo on 25 October 2025, at the Newberry Library. The event brought together scholars, community members, and history enthusiasts to explore the Philippines’ rich archival presence at one of America’s most respected research institutions.
The program opened with remarks by Ms. Astrida Orle Tantillo, President of the Newberry Library, who welcomed guests and expressed her enthusiasm for Professor Ocampo’s exploration of the Library’s Philippine holdings - materials that offer unique insights into the country’s history, identity, and global connections.
Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano then introduced Professor Ocampo, celebrating his transformative impact on historical scholarship. “Professor Ocampo has made history accessible to generations of Filipinos through his columns, lectures, and books - infusing the study of the past with curiosity, humor, and humanity,” she remarked. The Consul General noted that the lecture also served as a meaningful culmination of the Consulate’s Filipino American History Month celebrations, honoring the enduring contributions and vibrant heritage of Filipinos throughout the United States.
In his hour-long presentation titled “The Philippines at the Newberry Library,” Professor Ocampo guided the audience through several remarkable items from the Newberry’s collection that trace the Philippine narrative across centuries. These included Dr. Jose Rizal’s medical notebook, Clínica médica; Antonio de Morga’s 17th-century chronicle Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas; early Philippine maps, including Pedro Murillo Velarde’s 1734 Carta hydrographica y chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas; and a rare late 19th-century printed copy of the Philippine National Anthem.
Through his engaging lecture, Professor Ocampo emphasized that these archival treasures are not merely relics of the colonial past but living narratives that illuminate the Filipino experience. He invited audiences to view the Newberry’s holdings as stories that reveal how Filipinos lived, who they were, and how their legacy continues to shape contemporary identity and collective memory.
The Philippine Consulate General expressed its appreciation to the Newberry Library, who co-organized the event, for its partnership, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting cultural awareness and scholarship that deepen understanding of the Philippines’ history and its people.
Photos 2 and 3: Ms. Astrida Orle Tantillo (left) and Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano (right),
deliver their remarks before the lecture of Prof. Ocampo.
Photo 4: Prof. Ocampo presents some remarkable items from the Newberry’s collection including Dr. Jose
Rizal’s medical notebook, Clínica médica; Antonio de Morga’s 17th-century chronicle Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas; early Philippine maps, including Pedro Murillo Velarde’s 1734 Carta hydrographica y
chorographica de las Yslas Filipinas; and a rare late 19th-century printed copy of the Philippine National
Anthem.
Photo 5: From L to R: Consul Ella Karina Mitra, Newberry’s Director of the Center for Renaissance
Studies Lia Markey, Newberry President Astrida Orle Tantillo, Professor Ambeth Ocampo, Consul General
Melanie Rita Diano, Consul Ma. Theresa Alders, and Consul Melvin Almonguera