PHLPost to issue papal visit stamps

MANILA, Philippines – To mark Pope Francis’ first visit to the Philippines next week, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) will release commemorative stamps featuring images of the Argentine pontiff.

Four winning art pieces from the “Papal Visit Stamp” design competition are featured in the “block of four” stamps, which will be available starting Thursday, January 8.

Each stamp will be sold for P10 and will be printed in a limited run of 120,000 copies.

The winning designs were made by Dave Arjay Tan and Salvadore Banares Jr. of Valenzuela City, and Don Michael Bryan Bunag and Mark Leo Maac from Bulacan.

Each stamp measures 30mm x 40mm in a 14 holes per 20mm perforation printed in an offset lithography process.

PHLPost Postmaster General Josie Dela Cruz said they are coordinating with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to present the commemorative stamps to Pope Francis.

PHLPost is also set to release a Pope Francis souvenir sheet featuring a coinage stamp prior to the Pope’s arrival.

“With the release of the Pope Francis’ Visit to the Philippines stamps, we would like to express our sincerest appreciation for His Holiness’ visit to our country, primarily to comfort the Filipino victims of the 2013 earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda,” Dela Cruz said.

“We are deeply moved by his compassion to the Filipino people, thus, in this once in a lifetime visit, we opted to produce these pieces of history,” she added.

The stamps will be available at the Post Shop, Philately and Museum Division of the Manila Central Post Office and in all regional offices of PHLPost. – Rappler.com