PACQUIAO IN HISTORIC SPECIAL POSTAL STAMP ISSUE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 30 May 2008
Filipino national treasure Manny Pacquiao has added another historic achievement to his long list of accolades.
The Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) will issue both regular and special editions of the Manny Pacquiao stamps in the first week of June in a fitting prelude to the ?Lethal Combination? showdown with WBC lightweight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.
Pacquiao is the first and only Filipino athlete to be honored in a Philippine stamp while in the US the singular honor belongs to former welterweight and middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson who is regarded by most boxing experts as alongside Muhammad Ali as the greatest boxer of all-time. The Robinson stamp had a circulation of over 100 million. With his tremendous following in the Philippines, the US, Mexico and the rest of the world millions of the Pacquiao issue is almost certain to be sold.
PhilPost is presently working out the details of a simultaneous launch in the US with Pacquiao?s management team headed by business manager Eric Pineda and Pacquiao's close friend Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson who played key roles in pushing forward with the project.
Pacquiao personally handpicked the design of the stamps prior to his departure for Los Angeles last May 12. Pacquiao was very pleased with the design done by the Philately Division of PhilPost and said he was ?deeply honored by the stamp. I promise I will do my best every time I fight. The Filipino people are the real source of my strength. My utmost intention is to unite the Filipino people through my efforts in boxing.?
The decision to issue special stamps honoring Pacquiao who is considered a legendary athlete and a living hero was conceived as a tribute for what he has done in bringing pride, honor and glory to the country by his amazing and exciting performances in the ring. Pacquiao is the only Asian to win three world titles and he is aiming for a fourth against Diaz. Pacquiao is regarded as a cinch for the boxing Hall-of-Fame.
Postmaster General Hector Villanueva said ?He (Pacquiao) unites every conceivable faction in our country whenever he fights. No athlete has been able to achieve this feat, ever.?
Ms. Elizabeth Tungol who heads the Pacquiao stamp project said that immortalizing Pacquiao through a stamp is ?immortalizing the indomitable spirit of the Filipino. From his lowly beginnings to what he has achieved and for all he has brought to our country and people, he truly deserves the honor.?
Special stamps are issued by Philpost to promote, publicize and draw attention to outstanding people, events and objects of national and international significance. The Pacquiao stamps will be part of the " Kaya ng Pinoy" Series which will feature other outstanding Filipino athletes in the future.
The Pacquiao stamp will be denominated at P7 and will come in four different designs with the champion in unique fighting stances. The special issue for collectors comes in a souvenir folder containing special envelopes, stamps, articles and anecdotes signed by the ?Pambansang Kamao? himself.
Limited quantities of the special issue for collectors will be available for sale at Door 216, Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila . Inquiries may be made by calling telephone Nos. 527-01-32, 527-0085 (Ms. Cora Loza) and 527-10-18 (Ms. Aster Nodalo). Interested parties may also visit the website www.philpost.gov.ph.
FINAL PROOF OF PACQUIAO STAMPS AND SOUVENIR FOLDER. Eric Pineda (center), Business Manager of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao sign the final proof of Pacquiao special stamps and souvenir folder before going into printing. The stamps will be on sale in the first week of June and before the upcoming fight of "The Pacman". Witnessing the signing are PhilPost Assistant Postmaster General for Finance Elizabeth Tungol (seated, left) and APMG for Operations Mama Lalanto,Al Haj . Also present are (standing from L-R) Stamp coordinators Boyet Delito, information officer Alvin Fidelson and Nap Montenegro. (Photo by Edward Gaspay.)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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