1963 Andres Bonifacio Birth Centenary

On November 30, 1963 the Bureau of Posts issued a set of three stamps to commemorate the birth centennial of Andres Bonifacio.

Andres Bonifacio was a major figure in the Philippine Revolution.  He was a founder and later leader of the Katipunan movement, a secret society which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spain. The discovery of the Katipunan by Spanish authorities in August, 1896, led to the outbreak of the revolution. Bonifacio reorganized the Katipunan into a de facto revolutionary government naming himself as President and commander-in-chief of the rebel army.

 Andres Bonifacio

Divisions within the revolutionary movement led to the replacement of the Katipunan by a revolutionary government. In March 1897,  Emilio Aguinaldo defeated Andres Bonifacio in an election held at the Tejeros Convention to become President of the revolutionary government.  Bonifacio refused to recognize the Aguinaldo government and attempted to establish a rival government. On Aguinaldo's orders, Bonifacio and his brother were arrested and convicted of treason, and sentenced to death. They were executed by firing squad on May 10, 1897.

First Day of Issue Cancellation

Black ink

Purple ink

First Day Covers

1963 New Famous Filipinos IX Lapu-Lapu

Lapu-Lapu was a datu (king) who resisted Ferdinand Magellan's Spanish forces, and is recognized as the first national hero of the Philippines. The Lapu-Lapu shrine was erected on Mactan Island to commemorate Lapu-Lapu's defeat of Magellan in 1521.

 The Lapu-Lapu shrine is a 66 ft bronze statue.

 Plaque at the base of the shrine

The Lapu-Lapu regular and official 20c stamps were issued on October 20, 1963.

First Day of Issue Cancellation 

GREAT FILIPINO SERIES

First Day Covers

1963 President Mateos State Visit to the Philippines

President Adolfo Mateos of Mexico paid a state visit to the Philippines from October 20 to 23, 1962. A set of stamps was issued on September 28, 1963 to commemorate the visit.

First Day of Issue Cancellation

First Day Covers

1963 President Macapagal's Socio-Economic Program for the Philippines

In his first State of the Nation Address, January 22, 1962, President Macapagal outlined a five-year socio-economic program for the Philippines , which promised to help the "common man".

A set of three stamps was issued on September 28, 1963,  to promote the Macapagal socio-economic program for the Philippines.

First Day of Issue Cancellation

First Day Covers

1963 New Famous Filipinos VIII Marcelo del Pilar

Marcelo del Pilar was an outspoken critic of the Spanish authorities in the Philippines. In 1889, he moved to Spain where he became part of the Reform Movement formed by expatriate filipinos such as Jose Rizal and Mariano Ponce. Del Pilar became the editor of  La Solidaridad, the movement's newspaper  On July 4, 1896, Del Pilar died of tuberculosis in Barcelona. 

Leaders of the reform movement in Spain:

 Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce

The Marcelo del Pilar defintive stamp was issued on September 23, 1963.

First Day of Issue Cancellation

First Day Covers