Cover from Philippines

A superb cover received in October 2010 from Manila, Philippines. With a complete series of stamps issued on 8 September 2010, celebrating 300 years of devotion to Our Lady of Penafrancia, the patroness of the Bicol Region, in the province of Camarines Sur. The festivities start the second Friday of September each year and are the largest Marian devotion in the country. The first two 7p stamps show the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia from 1924 and 2009, the third stamp shows Our Lady of Peñafrancia Shrine, and the fourth stamp shows the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in Naga City (each stamp has a print-run of 160,000 pieces). The souvenir sheet of 28 pesos(8,500 pieces issued) shows in black and white the Shrine in Naga City. Thank you very muchJohn Paul!

Postcard from the Philippines no. 2

A postcard showing a tranquil view of some of the islands in the Hundred Islands National Park, in the province of Pangasinan in northern Philippines.

The 6 peso stamp from 2005 is dedicated to the United Nations Millenium Development Goals contained in the Millennium Declaration adopted by 189 nations during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000. They are:
* Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
* Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
* Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
* Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
* Goal 5: Improve maternal health
* Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
* Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
* Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

The bird definitives of 1 and 5 pesos are from 2007 and form part of a big series showing typical and endangered species in the Philippines.

The card was sent on 18 November 2008 from Puerto Pricesa City and reached me on 1 December 2008. Thank you, Jan!

Postcard from the Philippines

Today I received this lovely postcard from the Philippines, from the Puerto Princesa City in the island of Palawan (zipcode 5300 barely legible at the bottom of the postmark). It shows a view of the Boracay Island in the province of Aklan, one of the most important Philippine tourist destinations.

The 7 peso stamp, issued in 2008 in a series with 3 other stamps, presents the cordillera forest mouse (Apomys datae). The two definitives from 2007 feature the critically endangered writhed hornbill living in the rainforests of Negros and Panay of the Philippines.

The card reached me in 15 days. Thank you J.!