APO turns 60- a diamond jubilee exhibition

APO Philatelic Society 25th anniversary commemorative stamp issue in 1975

History:

The Amateur Philatelists Organization or APO (forerunner of the APO Philatelic Society) was organized on May 28, 1950 by the triumvirate of Messrs. Francisco Arcebal, Carlos Licup, and Mamerto Gallardo. The APO was founded on the paramount objective of bringing the hobby of stamp collecting into the consciousness of beginners and amateur philatelists by motivating them, educating them with proper guidance in the different aspects of philately, and rearing them to be responsible and competitive stamp collectors.

First Meeting

The first organizational meeting of the APO was held on June 11, 1950 with twelve members in attendance. On the third meeting, with 35 members present, the following were elected as the first batch of officers of the club: Francisco Arcebal, President; Joe de Castro, Vice-President; Teodora Fuentecilla, Secretary; Luz Baking, Treasurer; Carlos Licup, Business Manager; Conchita Sigua, Auditor; and Mamerto Gallardo, PRO.

Mr. Dionisio Taeza

Mr. Taeza  is a stamp , paper bill , coin , post card and phone card collector – His various exhibits won several awards during the past several years.A former OFW in Saudi Arabia , he was able to accumulate vast number of collections during his stay in the Middle East Kingdom.  Among his entries priced entries in this exhibition were Pope John Paul 2 stamp collections from different parts of the globe and postcards .

Mr. Dionisio Taeza pose for a souvenir shot – behind him are his collections of Pope John Paul 2 First Day Covers issued by Philippine Postal Corporation

According to Mr. Taeza,  He started  swapping  postcards and letters when  working in Saudi Arabia , It was the height of the snail mail era in order to avoid boredom and to have more friends. With three grown -up children , He  fondly remembers  good-old days of  stamp collecting  and swapping with fellow collectors from others parts of the globe

post card collection

The APO was listed on the Philippine Journal of Philately as the 29th philatelic organization in the Philippines. And this 29th stamp club is now the oldest surviving stamp club in the country today. The first APO Philatelic Exhibition (APOPEX) was held at the YMCA Camus Hall on December 10, 1950. Though modest in its inaugural exhibition, APO has consistently and faithfully put up exhibitions through these last fifty years – a feat unsurpassed by any other club.

The first issue of the APO Newsletter came out in March 1954. Mr.  Carlos Reyes was the editor; Ms. Teresita del Fierro and Mr. Bernardo Sembrano, managing editors. On January 1969, the club published its official organ, APO STAMPS, with newly elected President, Epifanio Paras, as editor.

AFP

Although there is the much older stamp-collecting club that is the Asociacion Filatelica de Filipinas organized on May 10, 1925. AFP is accredited with big stamp expositions like FEPEX in 1937, PANAPEX held in 1952, PHICIPEX was also held to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the first stamp of the country in 1954.According to some old time stamp collector this stamp club ceased their operations in the mid 1960’s.

The 18th APOPEX was held on November 24 to December 8, 1968 to coincide with the observance of Philatelic Week proclaimed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos in response to an APO resolution. President Marcos subsequently signed Proclamation 622, declaring the last week of November of every year as “Philatelic Week.” Hence APOPEX is always held on the last week of November.

A letter from Governor Dwight Filley Davis (birth July 5, 1879 – death November 28, 1945) from Malacañang cancelled aboard ship on November 14, 1930 to US House of Representative Hon. S.K.  Houston

Governor Dwight Filley Davis served as the Governor General of the Philippines from 1929–32.  He is best remembered for founding the Davis Cup Tennis  International Tournament .

The tournament was conceived in 1899 by four members of the  Harvard University  tennis team who wished to challenge the British to a tennis competition. Once their respective lawn tennis associations agreed, one of the four Harvard players, among them is Mr. Dwight F. Davis  who  designed a tournament format and ordered an appropriate sterling silver  trophy from Shreve, Crump and Low company  purchasing it from his own funds. Mr. Davis  is also a  prominent politician in the United States in the 1920s, and served as  US Secretary of War serving as from 1925–29 and served as Governor General  of the Philippines from 1929–32 under US President Herbert Clark Hoover a Republican.

Photo courtesy of : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_F._Davis

The APO Philatelic Society has secured its place in Philippine philately with the leadership and governance of its past presidents, carrying the colors of the club on their shoulders through several decades  – bringing joy and happiness to countless member-collectors, who had provided the inspiration and motivation for the club to strive further.

On 1999 APO Philatelic Society elected its female president led by Mrs. Paulina Calinawan , Then together with Philippine Postal Corporation  held a Thematic “ Flowers on Stamp ” exhibit  at the third level on EDSA Shangri-LA Mall in Mandaluyong City on August 27 to September  12, 1999.

APO Philatelic Society golden anniversary stamp issue

The Philatelic exhibition also coincided with the 53rd Mid-Year Orchid Show of the Philippine Orchid Society. Aside from philately, paintings , photographs and landscaped exhibits  of orchids and flowers were displayed and focused on the rare and exotic Vanda sanderiana or Waling-waling. A slogan canceller was also issued to coincide the event.   “ 50 years of stamp Collecting” was approved by the Philippine Postal Corporation on all outgoing mails at the post offices of Bacolod, San Fernando City, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Manila, San Fernando City in Pampanga from May 24 to 31, 1999. This was to commemorate the 49^th founding anniversary of the organization.

Apo Philatelic Society celebrated its 60^th Anniversary last May 2010 with a luncheon buffet with their outgoing president Mr. Ignacio Tuazon,  a position that he held for almost 10 years. With the election of the new president led by Mr. Jimmy Ang   the organization is expected to be the forefront in Philippine Philately.

L-R Mr. Lawrence Chan ,Mr. Dionisio Taeza, Mr. Jimmy Ang ( President of APO Philatelic  Society) , Mr. Rey Ong de Jesus , Mr. Luis D. Carlos ( Philippine Postal Corporation’s Assistant Postmaster General for Marketing) (fifth from left)    Mrs. Elenita San Diego, Manager, Postage and Philatelic Department and the staff of Philatelic Division and Philpost employees graces the opening ceremony of the APO Philatelic Society’s APO @60 Philatelic Exhibition last May 9, 2011 at the Main Lobby of the PhilPost Building in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. 

At the tail end of their celebration, APO Philatelic Society held a stamp exhibit within the Manila Central Post Office from May 9, 2011 to May 22, 2011. Among the most popular exhibit topics  are  the Pope John Paul 2 exhibit, Dr.  Jose Rizal and President Noynoy Aquino ..

a luncheon was hosted by Mrs. Elenita San Diego( Head of  Postage and Philatelic Department)   second from left , together with Mr. Dionisio Taeza after the opening 

On its Diamond Jubilee Year,  APO will continue to commit itself to be at the forefront of Philippine philately – propagating the hobby to the next generation of stamp collectors and preparing them to be useful citizens of our country.

The exhibit runs until May 20, 2011. Everyone is encouraged to view the exhibit that features winning philatelic collections here and abroad.

Sources:

http://www.philippine-trivia.com/Institutions-Society/APO-Philatelic-Society.html

http://philpost.gov.ph/web/photo-feature-apo-philatelic-society-exhibit/

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