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Stamps of the Philippines, Historical and Topical Collections 1854-2004 is designed as an easy-to-read, attractive coffee table book that puts together the stamp collections of noted Philippine philatelists. The collections include stamps issued from the time of Spanish dominion to the Republic.
To aid readers and philatelists understand the collections, the book is generous with excellent drawings, notes and color photos of rare postage stamps and covers and historical figures. The book welds together history, geography, culture, arts, sports, Rizaliana, religion, commerce, politics and philately in a coherent, entertaining narrative. Attention to detail and research are evident in the book.
Stamps of the Philippines was inspired by Dr. Emilio Teotico Licauco, a general surgeon and one of the country's earliest stamp collectors. It was published also with the hope that it would inspire non-collectors to start collecting. The book, in color, has 217 pages.
Part of the sales proceeds will fund various projects in livelihood, education, environment, marketing and promotions of the Philippine Small and Medium Business Development Foundation (Philsmed) to help develop micro, small and medium businesses.
The publisher, Dr. Mina T Gabor, is the former Secretary of Tourism (1996 - 1998, administration of President Fidel V. Ramos).
The book was formally launched on June 25, 2008 at the Coconut Palace. Personalities who represented the various eras of stamps depicted in the book were former President Fidel V. Ramos, Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab(in lieu
of Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano), former Prime Minister Cesar E. A. Virata, Ambassador Luis Arias of Spain, Postmaster-General Hector R. R. Villanueva, and US Commercial Attache Thomas Brennan and Nini Quezon-Avancena,daugther of the late President Manuel L. Quezon.
The invocation was led by Father James Reuter, S.J. The emcee was Mimi de Jesus, book editor.
by Mina T. Gabor
"This book is dedicated to my step grandfather, Dr. Emilio Teotico Licauco, who was one of the country's earliest stamp collectors.A general surgeon, he was a meticulous and intelligent man who taught himself English and learned to master the language. From him I learned to do research and to look at things in a different way. His frequent, probing question -- 'Why?' - challenged me to think analytically and ahead. And he awoke in me a love for stamps.
"Every time a first day cover was issued, there he was at the Post Office, to be with his friends and to pick up the first day issue. As I helped him clean and sort his stamps, he regaled me with stories about certain postage stamps -- the events that led to the issue, and the interesting sidelights behind some of the errors found in postage stamps. And he left me his stamp collection, which I stored in a bank vault.
"One day, I took the collection home to sort out and add my new acquisitions. That same night, my house caught fire! I was able to save a few stamps, the singe mark is still visible on some of them. I told myself that one day, I would do something on the subject of stamps. I did not know it was going to be a book.
"The idea of a book on Philippine stamps started in 1999. Most of the stamp books I have seen were essentially catalogues of little or no interest, to the non-stamp collector. So, I decided that if I were to make a book, it would be an attractive, easy to read coffee table book that would replicate the mentoring of my grandfather and the retelling of the stories that had been handed down from teacher to student. Hopefully,it would also inspire non-collectors to start collecting.
"The former Air Force Chief, Postmaster General Nicasio Rodriguez,immediately saw the importance of this book and later, Postmaster Generals, Diomedio P. Villanueva, Dario C. Rama, Hector R. R. Villanueva and the Philpost staff continued to support the project.
"They brought in the stamp collectors from the various philatelic societies, each one an expert in the field of philately... I thank them all for sharing their expertise and their long-term support. During our first meetings, we posed many questions to the collectors. We were able to organize Philippine stamps into a seamless collection arranged into historical periods and topical collections.
"It was during these initial meetings that I learned much more about good stamp collecting from the experts themselves. During my years with the Department of Trade and Industry and at the Department of Tourism, I collected boxes of envelopes with stamps from around the world. When I retired from government service, I unpacked the boxes and started cutting out all the stamps, only to be told by the philatelists that in some cases, it is important to keep the envelopes intact too! I also had some interesting stamped envelopes from famous personalities like Princess Diana, Frank Sinatra, a Saudi Arabian sheik and others. To think I was only judging the value authentcity of the stamps through their link to a particular person, place and time. That is why we have included in this book a feature on how to start collecting stamps.
"Likewise, a subsequent visit to the Museo Postal y Telegrafico in Madrid opened my eyes to the importance of Philippine stamps. To allow me to view these early stamps, they were brought out from the vault on a silver tray and handled only with gloved hands. According to Maria Victoria Crespo Gutierrez, Director of the Museo, "Philippine stamps are valued by philatelists around the world, being one of the earliest stamps issued...."
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Secretary Gabor is founder and president of the Philippine Small and Medium Business Development Foundation. When recruited to government service in 1983, she founded and headed the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, Inc., the export promotion agency of the Department of Trade and Industry. Dr. Gabor is a board director of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, chairwoman of the Ecotourism Society of the Philippines and consultant to the UN World Tourism Organization, International Finance Corp. / World Bank, UN International Trade Center the Asian Productivity Organization. , and Clark International Development Corp. Her website is minagabor.com and web address is [email protected].
Please see the following related articles
Publisher Mina T. Gabor signs books with Paulo G. Alcazaren (left), columnist of Philippine Star, and Pio Rodriguez, prominent Philippine stamp collector. Alcazaren of Philippine Star is one of the country's noted columnist. Rodriguez is a prominent Philippine philatelists and publisher of Mateo's Stamp Guide. He contributed to the book's section on the Aguinaldo revolutionary government and Japanese occupation.
Mayor Peewee Trinidad of Pasay City gets a copy of Stamps of the Philippines
Executives of the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies add Stamps of the Philippines to the school's knowledge center.
Back to TopA number of companies and associations commemorated their milestones with stamp issues such as:
The book is available in all branches of the National Bookstore, Powerbooks, Popular Bookstore, La Solidaridad and the office of the Philippine Small and Medium Business Development Foundation, No. 1 Escolastica St. corner Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.
Retail price is P3,500. Bulk discounts are available with Philsmed. Shipping charges to Canada, Europe and the United States is an additional P3,500.
Inquiries may be made by contacting or sending e-mail to:(a) Philsmed at [email protected] or [email protected]. (b) Nelian Garalde or Mobie Regalado at Philsmed (0632) 832-0996 834-2993 834-2994, or (c) Romeo "Butch" J. Pajarillo at 825-08-50 827-87-70 0906-232-52-77 [email protected].
Credits are due to the following:
Stamp collections of Philippine philatelists included in the book were those of:
Sponsors who supported the project were:
The editorial team included:
The project team included:
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