The Documenta Filipina will serve as a vital resource document for research on the Philippines in Portugal. As someone who has long championed Philippine arts, culture, and history, I view this first-ever annotated bibliography as a significant contribution to the existing body of references on the Philippines, this time from the perspective of Portugal.
(Senator Loren Legarda, in the foreword)
Documenta Filipina not only deepens our historical consciousness but also contributes to a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of Philippine international relations through the lens of cultural heritage. It is a model of what sustained, scholarly cultural diplomacy can achievea publication that informs, connects, and inspires.
(Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, in the foreword)
Documenta Filipina – The Philippines in Portuguese Archives and Libraries is a 520 pages volume published in 2025 by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda. It is a compilation of 1429 records about Portuguese documentation containing relevant information between 1506 and 1832 about the Philippines, in three of the most important Portuguese archives (Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino and Biblioteca da Ajuda).
The publication emerged from a research project developed from 2020 to 2023 under the coordination of Paulo Jorge de Sousa Pinto, Miguel Rodrigues Lourenço, Pedro Pinto, Elsa Penalva and Rui Loureiro, from the Working Group. It was another successful partnership between CHAM, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.
The book is now available in open access for free downloading at NOVA institutional repository here.