In celebration of World Post Day, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) teamed up with SM Manila to host the “Stamp of the World” exhibit and “On the Spot” letter-writing activity for grade school students.
World Post Day is celebrated each year on Oct. 9, which is the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1874 in the Swiss capital, Berne. Canada Post (then known as the Post Office Department) joined the UPU four years later, in 1878. World Post Day was declared at the 1969 UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan.
Luis Carlos, assistant postmaster general of PHLPost, said communication has evolved with the introduction of emails and texts, but he added the feeling of receiving handwritten letters through the post office cannot be replaced by these technologies.
“Stamps are not just pieces of paper that we stick onto and envelope,” said Carlos. “More than that, Stamps are windows to bigger things, connecting and sharing information with people around the world.”
Being an active UPU member country, the Philippines is encouraged to organize its own national activities to celebrate World Post Day. The “Stamps of the World” exhibit aims to spread the knowledge of history, geography, art and world cultures. It will also have students write a thank-you letter to anyone they wish using Filipino or English and following the proper format of writing a letter. There’s also a chance to win P50,000 (about $3,600 Cdn.) in an April 2017 grand draw.
LAL-LO’S 435th ANNIVERSARY
PHLPost also issued this commemorative stamp on Oct. 4.
Earlier this month, PHLPost also issued a set of commemorative stamps marking the 435th anniversary of the Municipality of Lal-lo, in the province of Cagayan.
The stamp features the historic Santo Domingo de Guzman Church, which was established by the Dominicans and named Nueva Segovia in 1581. The town was the seat of the capital of Cagayan until 1839, when the provincial government was moved to Tuguegarao. The church is a massive Spanish colonial building built in solid red bricks. Across from the picturesque church and along the mighty Cagayan River is the Evangelization Cross, a wooden crucifix implanted at this site hundreds of years ago by Dominican priests.
Lal-lo was the hub of religious, trade and commercial activities of Northern Luzon. It is also one of the first four cities in the Philippines (others were Manila, 1571; Cebu, 1565; Naga, 1575).