1964 Apolinario Mabini

On July 23, 1964, as set of three commemorative stamps was issued to mark the centenary of the birth of Apolinario Mabini, "the sublime paralytic". Also known as the "Brains of the Revolution", Mabini was a respected advisor to General Emilio Aguinaldo. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines has posted this brief biography:

Apolinario Mabini, the Revolution’s political philosopher, proved that illness was no hindrance to greatness.

 In 1896, Mabini’s was struck down by polio; the disease paralyzed both his legs. In illness Mabini’s mind became even sharper. With the Spanish-American War looming on the horizon, he wrote a manifesto warning Filipinos not to trust the Americans. The document made its way to Hong Kong, into the hands of the exiled leaders of the 1896 revolution. General Emilio Aguinaldo sent for Mabini, who at first meeting disappointed him. What was he supposed to do with this cripple? But when Mabini spoke, Aguinaldo saw his worth. From then on, Mabini was installed as Aguinaldo’s adviser, earning for himself the accolade “Brains of the Revolution.”

At the outbreak of the Filipino-American War in 1899, Mabini was captured by the Americans and was imprisoned for almost two years. Upon his release, he wrote patriotic articles for the local papers. Angered, the Americans exiled him to Guam.

 Fearing he would never see the Philippines again, Mabini reluctantly took an oath of allegiance to the United States that allowed him to come home in February 1903. On May 13, 1903 he died of cholera at the age of 39.

The stamps feature Mabini sitting regally on a rattan chair.

Mabini Chairs

I have been unable to find a photograph of Mabini sitting in the style of chair shown on the commemorative stamps.

Mabini in his "invalid" chair

Mabini convalescent chair

(Kevin Michael Aguinaldo)

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1964 Jose Rizal : New Famous Filipinos XI

Jose Rizal was featured on the 6s definitive and official stamps issued on June 19, 1964 wearing the traditional "Barong Tagalog" shirt. Although Rizal was a Filipino nationalist, there are no photographs of him wearing a barong. However Rizal appreciated indigenous clothing and textiles, and donated his collection to the Ethnological Museum of Berlin in 1887. Among the artifacts was a barong tagalog, but no evidence that it had ever been worn by Rizal.

 Rizal collection, Ethnological Museum of Berlin

Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Berlin, Germany

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1963 Sergio Osmeña : New Famous Filipinos X

 Sergio Osmeña (1878  - 1961) was the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946, assuming the post upon the death of Manuel Quezon.  Osmeña had a long political career which spanned the period of U.S. governance. He was Governor of Cebu from 1901 to 1907. In 1907, Osmeña won a seat in the Philippine Assembly and became its first Speaker.  He remained  in the House until 1922 then sat in the Senate until 1935 when he became Manual Quezon's running mate serving as Vice-President from 1935 to 1944.

The Osmeña definitive was issued on December 10, 1963. The 70s stamp was engraved by Bradbury, Wilkinson (England).

Sergio Osmeña was  also featured on the 1957 stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Philippine Assembly.

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1964 Bamboo Organ of Las Piñas

The Bamboo Organ of Las Piñas

The Bamboo Organ of Las Piñas, built by Spanish missionary Diego Cera from 1816 to 1828, is the only 19th century bamboo organ in the Philippines that has survived and is still functioning. Housed in the St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas, a few kilometres south of Metro Manila, the organ was recognized in 2003 as a Philippine National Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.

 St. Joseph Parish Church, Las Piñas

A set of three stamps featuring the Bamboo Organ was issued on May 4, 1964.

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Not in author's collection :

United Nations Evacuation Center: Tubabao, Philippines 1949 - 1951

In 1949, 6,000 Russians were granted temporary refuge on the Philippine Island of Tubabao. This post explains why the Russians fled to the Philippines and shows a cover mailed from Canada to a Ukrainian representative in the Philippine evacuation centre.

"White" Russians in Exile

After the Russian Civil War of 1922-24, soldiers of the anti-Bolshevik "White" Army and their families fled Russia. Several thousand Russians settled in China, many of whom became residents of Shanghai. The Russians remained in China until the late 1940s but were forced to evacuate during the Chinese Civil War as the Chinese Red Army was securing victory over Nationalist forces in mainland China.

The Philippine government provided temporary refuge for the 6,000 Russians escaping from China. In 1949, the United Nations International Refugee Organization (IRO) established the United Nations Evacuation Center (UNEC) on the Philippine island of Tubabao.


Tubabao Evacuation Center

The Russian refugees were then offered permanent settlement in other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, as well as South American nations.


Mail from Evacuation Center Tubabao

 Guinan to Hong Kong, May 23, 1950

(The camp was located about 15 miles from the village of Guinan)

IRO - UNEC Post Office cachet applied to all refugee mail

May 19, 1950

Mail to Evacuation Center Tubabao

The cover below was sent by the Ukrainian Service, Winnipeg, to the Ukrainian National Group Representative at the Tubabao Evacuation Center on January 30, 1950.


Return address


The air mail letter rate for 1/4 ounce was 25 cents
(5 cent stamp fell off)




Post Office Receiver Handstamp


IRO - UNEC Post Office cachet used as a receiver
February 11, 1950

1963 Presidential Credo II : Ramon Magsaysay

Ramon Magsaysay was President from 1953 until his death in 1957.

 

The Magsaysay "Presidential Credo" stamps were issued on December 30, 1963.

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