Valentine’s week celebration at the Philippine Postal Corporation

Manila Central Post Office, Liwasang Bonifacio, Ermita , Manila -Philippines

 Postmaster General Maria Josefina Dela Cruz together with Ms. Jamia Mei Tolentino ( Saint Stephen High School)

Philippine Postal Corporation ( Philpost) open another opportunity to young students from different parts of the country when they organized an on-the spot painting contest last year. The winning designs will be featured in Philippine stamps ( such as  Valentine’s day 2014 ) and other succeeding occasions like Christmas season 2014.

Ms. Winnie Cordero host of  ABS-CBN channel 2- Umagang Kay Ganda program

Inviting local students , amateurs ,  professional artists and designers to a stamp design contest in not new in the Philippines, This had been a tradition for several decades which tapped the young generation artists in expressing their thoughts and ideas into a new concept in designing colorful stamps that are issued to the collecting public and those people who collect mails, postcards, greeting cards on special occasions from around the world.

Philpost  caravan through main thorough fares in metro manila

The  top winner of the stamp design contest  last year received Php 15,000 , a certificate of participation, framed stamp and a her works feature in Valentine’s day 2014 stamp issuance of Philippine Postal Corporation.

artwork

The young third- year student Ms. Jamia Mae Tolentino is a student of Saint Stephen High School – Manila .  The school is active  in sending representatives in  various art design contests . They proudly display the winners of various design contests in their hallways and lobby area.

edible flowers  for sale

Launching

The stamp and the first day covers was issued  last January 27, 2014 with no fanfare and elaborate unveiling ceremonies at the  ( Manila Central Post Office ) .

Mr. Allan Patrick S. Afable -marketing specialist ( contract of services ) Business Lines Department – Philippine Postal Corporation

Some stamp collectors , especially in the provinces are not fully aware that  the 2014 Valentine’s day stamp was  issued by the local post office.

Saint Stephen High School students and teachers paid a courtesy call to the postmaster and visited the ongoing stamp exhibition

According to some of the collectors, They have not even seen the 2013 Valentine’s day stamp and First Day Covers, How much more the 2014 Valentine’s day stamp? How ironic ? I think the marketing , logistic and Philatelic section must work double time to properly distribute all those 2014 Valentine’s day stamps and FDC’s to the regional areas , so that provincial stamp collectors can buy and somehow send them to their love ones and pen-pals from the other parts of the world.

First Day Cover-  with Valentine’s Day 2014 stamp

When i visited the Philatelic section last week ,  ( February 6, 2014 Thursday ) that was the only time i knew that there will be some sort of launching and the student winner of the stamp design contest will be invited to grace the important affair .

Technical Description

Purpose: Valentine’s Day -commemorative stamp

Date of Issuance: January 27, 2014

Printing: Litho-offset

Printer: Amstar Company Incorporated

Perforation: 14

Quantity: 55,000

Artist: Ms. Jamia Mei Tolentino ( Saint Stephen High School)

Theme: Mahal Kita  ( I love You)

Denomination: Php 10.00

Single: Sheet of 40

First Day Cover: Manila Cancellation

valentine’s day stamps issued by Philpost from 1992 to 2013

Exhibits

framed valentine’s day stamps and love letter exhibition

There were some love letters ( some dated between 70 to 100 years ago)  that were exhibited at the main lobby, framed valentine’s day stamps issued by the Philpost from 1992 to 2013 were exhibited. There are  some commercial booth sections were the public can buy donuts, edible bouquet, fresh bouquet flowers,  pocket books, pins , chocolates that can be send via post office couriers  from February 10 to February 14, 2014 to their love ones or special someones.

The stamp exhibit will last until March 2014 .

Note: I bought some first day covers for my friends and even gave some to Philpost employees who do not have time to let Ms. Jamia Mae Tolentino sign an autograph .  I personally believe that there are a lot of stamp collectors in the Philippines which still collect stamps.  One of  their problem  is the inaccessibility  of some current stamp at their local or regional post offices .  How can you promote a hobby of stamp collecting if the public is not aware and local post offices do not have those current stamp issuance?