Cebu Stamp Club's CSCI Newsletter April 2010 Issue

Here's the April 2010 issue of Cebu Stamp Club's CSCI Newsletter.

The 8-page e-newsletter is available for free to Cebu Stamp Club members and patrons of philately.

Mercantour National Park Stamp

Monaco's Office des Emissions de Timbres Poste de Monaco issues today a stamp highlighting the Mercantour National Park to celebrate the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Created in 1979, the Mercantour National Park is one of ten national parks in France. Over 800,000 visitors each year come to the park to visit its villages and enjoy the 600 km of marked footpaths.

The Park is rich with flora and fauna and has beautiful mountain streams and lakes set in the valleys of 3000m-high mountains. A hike through the Vallée des Merveilles reveals 100,000 bronze-age rock engravings.

Kadaugan sa Mactan

The island of Mactan celebrates the Kadaugan sa Mactan, an annual re-enactment of The Battle of Mactan that highlights the April 27, 1521 victory of Datu Lapu-lapu over Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

Philippine action star Philip Salvador played the part of Lapu-lapu while Lloyd Umali, a singer took on the role of Ferdinand Magellan. Actor/model Will Devaughn acted as one of Lapu-lapu's chieftains.

The Kadaugan sa Mactan is a week-long activity that featured the Great Lapu-lapu City Run, a boxing tournament, photo contests, food festivals participated in by different Lapu-Lapu resorts, golf tournaments at the Mactan Golf Club, live band concerts, presentations from the different departments of the city, band concerts and a fireworks display.

In 2005, Cebu Stamp Club, Incorporated (CSCI) was invited by the Lapu-lapu City Government to exhibit stamps featuring Lapu-lapu and Magellan.

Stamps above feature Lapu-lapu released on October 20, 1963 and Magellan's Landing issued on February 15, 1935.

Cebu Stamp Club's April 2010 Stamp Meetup

It's an exciting day today as Cebu Stamp Club members decided to hold the meetup in my house after the successful meetup in Eyan Yu's residence last month.

We were expecting only six members who had earlier confirmed but the number doubled when I fetched them at SM City Cebu. The group were advised earlier to converge in front of National Bookstore and Bo's Coffee Club at the said mall so it would be easier for me to bring them to the stamp meetup place.

Edmund Gruenbaum, Kenneth and Gina Turner, Richard Guimbarda, Sharee Ann Trapa, Dina Potolin with her daughter, Janice Benolerao, Janus Bariñan, Eyan Yu, Aileen Liwat and her son all arrived at SM City Cebu before 2pm. Three cars on convoy took us to the meetup place.

The meeting was filled with stamp exchanges, stamp and philatelic bulletin freebies, and stamp info sharings. CSCI member David Mario Blair Taylor who went back to the United Kingdom in February sent in lots of Philippine stamps that were distributed to all those in attendance.

Australian Kenneth Turner also brought along lots of stamps which were also shared to everyone. Philippine Philatelic Bulletins that arrived a week earlier from the Philippine Postal Corporation's Postal Museum and Philatelic Library were also given to the members. Julie, my better half prepared sandwiches, pastries and soda to the group.

Edmund Gruenbaum announced to everyone that he is hosting the May 2010 stamp meetup in a beach resthouse in Alcoy. This beautiful town is a 2-hour ride from Cebu City and has tourist attractions that include white beaches, coves and inlets, barrier and coral reefs, mangrove forests, verdant hills and valleys, towering mountains, and fertile farmlands in the highlands.

It's going to be a two-day meetup as Cebu Stamp Club members take the time to enjoy not only stamps but also mother nature.

Thanks to David Taylor, Ken Turner, Julie Uy and Nena of the Postal Museum and Philatelic Library for making the April 2010 Stamp Meetup a success. Thanks too to all those who came and to Sharee Ann Trapa who provided me with the photos.

It's Earth Day!

More than one billion people on Earth celebrate today 40 years of inspiring awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.

Founded on April 22, 1970 as an environmental teach-in by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day is now celebrated by more than 190 countries on Earth.

This year's Earth Day coincides with the World People's Conference on Climate Change held in Bolivia and the International Year of Biodiversity.

As our share in making this Earth clean and healthy today and tomorrow, here are some tips I compiled from the net that will make a big difference.

• Recyle the bottles of the bottled water that you bought
• Try replacing old incandescent bulbs to the energy saver CFL's (compact flourescent bulbs)
• Turn off the water while brushing the teeth or shaving
• A compost pile is very helpful in your backyard
• Use microwave to cook food or reheat leftovers
• Use the shower instead of filling the tub
• Wash only full loads when using the dishwasher or the washing machine
• Use a broom not a hose when cleaning the decks, sidewalks and porches
• Try to use the public transport system
• Start walking or use a bike when going to short distances
• Always remember that every time we ride a car, we add up to the air pollution
• Insulate your homes, windows and water pipes
• Leaks must always be repaired
• Use containers to collect rain water and use it to flush the toilet or water the plants
• Join in community recyling activities and programs
• Plant trees
• Avoid using plastic bags
• Make it a point to use eco-friendly products such as recycled paper and rechargeable batteries

If we all do our share in protecting our Earth, I believe that we could build a better place for us and for the future generations.

The Earth Day stamp shown in today's post was released in China on April 22, 2005.

Britain at War

Another historic stamp issue from the Isle of Man Post Office is the Britain at War miniature sheet of two stamps.

Released on April 20, 2010, the miniature sheet marks the 70th anniversary of operations "Dynamo" and "Ariel" and the Battle of Britain during the summer of 1940.

Kokoda Joint Issue

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Kokoda, Australia and Papua New Guinea comes out with a joint stamp issue on April 20, 2010 to highlight the heroic stand by Australian soldiers against the Japanese in World War II.

The five stamps feature the relationship between the two countries from the Kokoda Campaign of 1942. Two of the stamps portray the difficult conditions and the close bonds forged through adversity. Another shows the memorial at Isurava. The final two stamps show the two nations' relationships today through the eyes of veterals and travellers.

Battle of Britain Stamps from Isle of Man

The Isle of Man Post Office releases on April 20, 2010 the Battle of Britain stamps.

The German Air Force waged an air campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and this campaign is called the Battle of Britain.

The Battle of Britain set consists of 6 stamps and a miniature sheet commemorating the historic event with the artwork done by renowned aviation artist Keith Woodcock.

Erap's 73rd Birthday

Former Philippine President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada celebrated his 73rd birthday yesterday April 19, 2010.

Erap's birthday wish is a "clean and victory for him and his party in the upcoming elections."

The Pwersa ng Masa standard bearer adds, "I have already been given everything that I asked for, including my renewed freedom. But my freedom is empty if I cannot use it for the greater good of the Filipino people, that is why I am running and I hope to be able to serve the people as president again."

Shown above is the November 10, 1998 stamp of President Joseph Estrada taking his oath as the 13th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

The Stamps of the Four Indian Kings

Canada Post will issue on April 19, 2009 four stamps to commemorate the 300th anniversary of four portraits featuring Indian Kings.

The portraits serve as a record of early cultural and political diplomacy between the First Nations and the British Empire, and a negotiation that affected the course of power relations in North America.

The names of the kings can be found on the left-hand side of the four stamp portaits.

USPS Releases Flags of our Nation Set 4 Stamps

The United States Post Office (USPS) releases today the Flags of our Nation Set 4 stamps.

These l44-cent First-Class Mail stamps consist of 10 designs of highly detailed flag portraits done by artist Tom Engeman of Bethany Beach, DE, working under the direction of stamp designer Howard E. Paine of Delaplane, VA.

The stamps feature the Stars and Stripes stamp that depicts the “purple mountain majesties” inspired by the opening lines of “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929), plus the state flags of Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ne Mexico, New York, North Carolina and North Dakota.

International Year of Biodiversity Stamps from UNPA

The United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity to create a worldwide awareness of the importance of biodiversity and the consequences of its loss.

UN believes that the International Year of Biodiversity is a unique opportunity to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth.

To highlight the theme, the United Nations Postal Administration issues on April 15, 2010 two new Geneva definitive stamps and two new Vienna definitive stamps. Two more New York definitive stamps on the theme will be released on October 18, 2010 to complete the set.

2010 Endangered Species Stamps

The newest stamp series featuring endangered species will be released on April 15, 2010 by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA).

Launched on March 3, 1993, the Endangered Species series feature varieties of plants, cacti and trees. The stamps highlight the need for the protection of endangered species all over the world.

The set of 12 stamps in the latest series were designed by Rosie Sanders who hails from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Canada-Israel, 60 Years of Friendship

Canada Post issues on April 14, 2010 an International rate commemorative stamp featuring 60 years of friendship between Canada and Israel.

Israel and Canada established diplomatic relations sixty years ago on May 11, 1949 that helped build a fruitful cooperation. The two countries have stood by each other and continued to strengthen their commitment as partners and friends in many fields that include commerce, science and technology, culture, education, trade, and public safety.

The stamp celebrates Canada’s strong bilateral relationship with Israel—a friendship that spans six decades and is marked by shared values, common interests, and strong political, economic, cultural and social ties.

The World Mourns Lech Kaczynski of Poland

Leaders all over the world were shocked and expressed sorrow over the death of Polish President Lech Aleksander Kaczynski whose plane crashed on it's approach to a Russian airport last Saturday that also claimed the lives of his wife Maria and 95 others.

Those killed included the army chief of staff, the navy chief commander, the heads of the air and land forces, the national bank president, deputy foreign minister, army chaplain, the National Security Office head, deputy parliament speaker, Olympic Committee head, civil rights commissioner, two presidential aides and three legislators.

U.S. President Barack Obama describes the Polish leader as "a distinguished statesman who played a key role in the Solidarity movement, and he was widely admired in the United States as a leader dedicated to advancing freedom and human dignity."

Lech Kaczynski was born in Zoliborz, Warsaw on June 18, 1949. He won as president on October 23, 2005. He took his oath of office as President of the Republic of Poland on December 23, 2005.

He will be buried in the Wawel Cathedral of Krakow alongside Polish kings and saints.

The stamp above features Warsaw, the city where Lech Kaczynski was born. It was released on October 6, 2009 by the Polish Post.

Royal Mail Highlights Endangered Mammals

Stamps featuring mammals are set to be released on April 13, 2010 by the Royal Mail as its contribution to the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

Presented as a block of ten special stamps featuring natural portraits, these beautiful stamps comprise the fourth part of the continuing Action for Species series.

The stamps highlight ten of United Kingdom's most engaging but endangered indigenous mammals such as the sperm whale, humpback whale, dormouse, brown long-eared bat, greater horseshoe bat, otter, wildcat, polecat, hedgehog and water vole.

The Day of Valor

Today is Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valour here in the Philippines.

A national holiday, we Filipinos commemorate the Fall of Bataan during World War II and give tribute to the 76,000 American and Filipino men and women who stood up against the Japanese invaders on April 9, 1942.

Above are Japanese Occupation stamps celebrating the Japanese victory over the Allied forces in Bataan. The first stamp was surcharged in black and issued on May 18, 1942. The next stamp was released on May 7, 1943 on 2-cents and 5-cents.

After the war, the then Postal Services Office which is now the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) came out with stamps commemorating the Fall of Bataan issued on April 9, 1982.

New Zealand Remembers ANZAC

The third stamp release of New Zealand Post's ANZAC series has Remembrance as a theme. It serves as a reminder for its citizens to honour the extraordinary courage, loyalty and tenacity of those who fought for freedom during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I where 2,721 New Zealand soldiers died.

Anzac Day was designated in 1916 to remind the people of New Zealand of this wartime event.

The six ANZAC 2010 stamps are released today, April 7, 2010 by New Zealand Post.

Mary MacKillop, Australia's First Saint

Mary MacKillop (15 January 1842 - 8 August 1909), popularly known as Mother Mary of the Cross is the first Australian to become a saint. Her canonisation ceremony takes place in the Vatican on October 17, 2010 with different services to be held across Australia to commemorate the event.

Australia Post releases on April 6, 2010 a postage-paid envelope featuring Mary MacKillop. The design was done by Adam Crapp.

Queen's Birthday 2010

Australia Post releases today, April 6, 2010 a stamp featuring Queen Elizabeth II. The new stamp highlights the Queen's birthday and shows her leaving St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney after her speech.

The 55-cents stamp is designed by John White.

Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on April 15, 1926.

Cebu Stamp Club's Jerald Kervin Uy Goes Egg Hunting at SM City Cebu

SM City Cebu came out with an exciting activity yesterday for kids in celebration of Easter. They called the event "The Happy Easter Adventure."

Jerald Kervin Uy, Cebu Stamp Club's youngest stamp collector wasted no time in registering at the mall on Saturday so as not to miss the event.

Right after hearing Mass in nearby St. Joseph's Parish in Mabolo, Cebu City, we proceeded to SM City Cebu which is just a few meters from the church.

Arriving at the mall at 10:30 in the morning, Jerald Kervin was the first to sign up as participant for the event. He was asked if he would like his face to be painted on. Of course, he obliged and picked the tiger design.

After the paint job, the kidster was off to hunt for eggs. It was such an enjoyable activity for him being his first time. Good for him, he found some which he redeemed for prizes.

This proud father is so happy too to see the kid enjoying every minute of it and am looking forward to having him join again in next year's egg hunt.

Happy Easter To Everyone!

It's Easter today and as Christians, we celebrate and rejoice this glorious day when Christ was resurrected after being crucified on Good Friday.

To everyone reading this blog, a very warm "Happy Easter" to you all.

The stamp in this post is that of a 2003 Romanian stamp featuring the Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg.

Cebu Celebrates Tres De Abril Today

April 3 each year is a day of celebration for the Cebuanos. This is the day when Cebuano revolutionaries headed by Pantaleon Villegas, popularly known as Leon Kilat won a battle against the Spanish troops in 1898. That battle came to be known as the Tres de Abril Uprising.

Years ago, I wrote an article about the Cebuanos' victory in my column in the Freeman Newspaper. You can read the story about the Tres de Abril Uprising in Cebu Stamp Club's website by clicking here.

In 1998, Cebu celebrated the 100 years of the historic battle. It was also in that year that I came out with the idea of coming out with a stamp featuring the Tres de Abril uprising.
Together with the support of Cebu Stamp Club executives, Philpost officials and the Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, the idea became a reality. Cebuano artist Jose "Kimsoy" Yap was chosen to do the painting.

On June 12, 1998, the Philippine Postal Corporation issued the Centenary of Philippine Independence Series 6 Souvenir Sheet which included the Tres de Abril Uprising.

The Cebu City Government together with Cebu Stamp Club unveiled the stamp on August 30, 1998 to coincide with the city's National Heroes Day celebration.

The Tres de Abril stamp is Cebu Stamp Club, Incorporated's legacy to the Cebuanos.

In the picture are CSCI Founding President Richard Allan Uy with Philpost 7 Regional Manager and CSCI member Fabiolita Ferraris together with Jose "Kimsoy" Yap Jr. Standing from left are CSCI Executives, Maria Luisa Potian, Rachel Betos, Teresita Caballero, Patricia "Noeng" Perez, Beeling Yap, and Erwin Allan Orosco.

Stamps of the Crucifixion

Today is Good Friday and it is very fitting for me to feature stamps that show scenes on the crucifixion of Jesus.

The stamp on the left was released by Hungary while the other one came from Serbia and Montenegro. Both stamps were issued in 2002.

It's a Time to Reflect

Cebu is so quite today until Saturday as Cebuanos reflect on the passion and death of Christ. Malls, business establishments and offices are close as we join the whole Christiandom in the observance of the Lenten Season.

Featured today is a stamp issued by Italy in 1998 featuring Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.