Stamp Collecting and the 'Philpost'

THROUGH PHILATELY—the collection and study of postage stamps and related items—one can learn of a country’s history, art, and culture, as depicted in special commemorative stamps.

Postage stamps are adhesive labels affixed to letters or parcels indicating that a fee is paid for postal services. Considered fascinating by many, stamp collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world.         

Stamps are commonly issued by a government or an agency representing a government, such as a national post office. In the Philippines, stamps are issued by the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost), the government’s agency responsible for providing postal services in the country. Philpost has long been producing commemorative and special stamps like that of boxing icon Manny Paquiao and the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

Led by the Postmaster General Hector R.R.Villanueva, Philpost officials in a meeting on March this year unanimously decided to come up with “Eraño G. Manalo-Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) stamps” classified as a “Special” kind of issue with a denomination of P 7.00 and quantity of 100,000 pieces. The stamp is to honor the memory of the late Brother Eraño “Ka Erdy” Manalo (1925-2009), the 2^nd Executive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a religion with humble beginnings in the Philippines but through Brother Eraño’s dynamic leadership has already reached over 90 countries and territories in six continents of the world.

No less than the President of the Philippines herself, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, spearheaded the list of government officials who graced the formal launching of the stamp. It was held at INC Central Office in Quezon City on April 23, 2010—a day so special for members of the Church for it was the date when Ka Erdy began to take the post as the Church Executive Minister in 1963. In her speech as guest speaker, the President described Brother Eraño as “a great Filipino” whose leadership in the Church benefited not only the Church members but also many other Filipinos irrespective of their religions. She recognized Ka Erdy’s significant contributions to the spiritual life as well as the social well-being of many Filipinos through the Church-run institutions that provide services to community and outreach programs in education, health, environment, and livelihood.

In an interview after the launching, the Postmaster General joyfully announced that for the first time in its history, the Philpost has to print a second edition of a stamp right after its launching because the “Eraño G. Manalo-Iglesia Ni Cristo stamps” have been considered ‘sold out’ through reservations even before they were supposedly released to the public.

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