By DANESSA O. RIVERA, GMA News
Published May 7, 2013 6:48pm

The speed of email has made snail mail nearly obsolete. But the nation’s post offices don’t want to become extinct. Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) is seeking to diversify its services from mail delivery to logistics through a partnership with DHL Express Philippines. “The traditional mail is declining,” said PhilPost CEO and postmaster general Josefina dela Cruz. According to PhilPost data, it delivered 156,165,480 pieces of mail in 2011, down 34 percent from 206,107,210 in 2010, while data is not yet available for 2012. “We are now a logistics company. You send, we deliver. We deliver your mail, we deliver your goods, we deliver your money,” dela Cruz said. This year, dela Cruz said, PhilPost is targeting an increase of 15 percent in revenues to P4.6 billion. In 2012, PhilPost earned P3.5 billion in revenues, 9 percent below its target of P3.8 billion for the year. ‘We are transforming the postal work to logistics services from mail delivery,” PhilPost chairman Cesar Sarino said during the DHL-PhilPost Partnership press conference held in Makati City. PhilPost inked on Tuesday an agreement with DHL Express Philippines to partner for an international service. The partnership will allow PhilPost to expand its services from its 59 partner countries to 220 countries and accept parcels weighing more than 20 kilograms. The service, pegged at DHL rates, is initially available in 12 post offices in highly urban areas: Ortigas, Pasig City; Greenhills, San Juan City; Cebu City; Baguio City; Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Angeles, Pampanga; Iloilo City; Legaspi City; Davao City; and central post offices in Manila, Quezon City and Makati City. Dela Cruz said the partnership will be one year initially, noting that the PhilPost offices offering DHL services are less than 1 percent of its 1,800 offices. The local express services provider will look at expanding to more postal offices after a year, DHL Express country manager Nurhayati Abdullah said. PhilPost entered the logistics business after it received nine out of 12 units of six-wheeler canter trucks and four units of 10-wheeler trucks in January. — BM, GMA News

Source: GMA News

Good news for stamp collectors: the Philippine Postal Service is issuing special stamps to mark the Year of the Snake and Valentine’s Day.

The Chinese New Year stamp has a Junior Dragon (snake) image with “Happy New Year” greetings in Filipino, English and Chinese, state-run Philippine Information Agency reported.

In its Feb. 6 report, the PIA quoted Postmaster-General and PhilPost CEO Josefina dela Cruz as saying the New Year stamps are popular among philatelists or stamp collectors.

A page on the Chinese New Year stamp on PhilPost’s website said some 110,000 stamps with denominations of P10 and P30 were issued starting Dec. 12 last year.

But dela Cruz said another 10,000 souvenir sheets each worth P80 intended for stamp collectors have also been produced.

The Year 2013 is the Year of the Water Snake according to the Chinese zodiac.

It begins on Feb. 10, 2013 and will end on Jan. 30, 2014.

Meanwhile, Philpost is also issuing special stamps for Valentine’s Day.

“Nothing matters more than love on Valentine’s Day. And nothing conveys love to your sweetheart better than a well-composed romantic letter. A beautiful love-letter has been known to win many hearts and seduce many souls. A powerful weapon in a lover’s arsenal, a love-letter is an indispensable part of Valentine’s Day celebrations,” it said.

The 2013 Valentine’s Day stamp features an illustration of a couple in traditional Filipiniana attire holding hands. In the man’s hands is a bouquet of flowers, while a love letter—with a stamp of course—is in the woman’s hands.

“Come what may, romance will never be lost to Pinoys. As long as there are people falling in love, love letters will always be written, cherished and enjoyed forever by the grateful recipient,” it said.

PhilPost said the stamps and Official First Day Covers were made available since January 14 at the Postage and Philatelic Department at Manila Central Post Office. —KG, GMA News

Source: GMA News

PHLPost Annual Report 2012

Source: International Post Corporation

The Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost), the Hon. Ma.Josefina M. Dela Cruz, paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez at the Philippine Embassy on 12 November 2012.

Postmaster General Dela Cruz and Assistant Postmaster General for Finance Maura M. Baghari-Regis were in Tokyo from 12 to 14 November 2012 to attend the Eurogiro Community Meeting: Asia Pacific and Customer Council Meeting held at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel in Akasaka, Tokyo.

Postmaster General Dela Cruz also met with the members of the Filipino community at the Philippine Embassy’s Multi-Purpose Hall on 14 November 2012. During the meeting, the Postmaster General informed the Filipino community that PhilPost is currently advancing its products and services, including their remittance and money order service which may assist Filipino nationals overseas. PhilPost is expected to launch their brand new remittance and money order service in January 2013.

Source: Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – In honor of the canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) has unveiled on Sunday, October 21, a commemorative stamp showing the latest saint from our country. Philpost unveiled the stamp during the 12 noon mass at the EDSA Shrine that celebrates the canonization of Calungsod as the second Filipino saint.

Source: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/14571-philpost-unveils-calungsod-stamp/

Calungsod stamps sold out in 9 days

November 29, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – With the initial 50,000 pieces of commemorative stamps of St. Pedro Calungsod sold in just nine days, the Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) has reprinted an additional half a million stamps to be sold to the public.

PHLPost Postage and Philatelic Department manager Elenita San Diego said they reprinted 500,000 pieces of Calungsod stamps.

The reprinted copies of the stamp were presented yesterday, two days ahead of the National Day of Thanksgiving in Cebu City tomorrow.

San Diego said there was clamor for the PHLPost to release more stamps of the second Filipino saint.

“Due to insistent public demand, we reprinted 500,000 more Calungsod stamps,” she said. The PHLPost earned P450,000 from Calungsod stamps.

The PHLPost released a single stamp design wherein Calungsod is holding a palm leaf on his left hand while his right hand rests on the chest signifying his deep Roman Catholic faith. On the right side of the stamp is the missionary route that Calungsod took to reach the Marianas Island.

Last Oct. 21, the PHLPost launched the Calungsod stamp at the EDSA Shrine.

The first print of Calungsod stamps were sold out by Oct. 29, prompting the PHLPost to reissue the same design.

The stamp is sold at P9 a piece. But instead of 40 pieces of stamps in a sheet, it was reduced to 20 pieces per sheet during the reprinting.

PHLPost Postmaster General Ma. Josefina dela Cruz asked Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to relaunch the stamp during the National Thanksgiving for Calungsod.

Calungsod Parish in Bilibid

A parish named after Calungsod has been built at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to attend to the spiritual needs of the estimated 50,000 residents there.

The CBCPNews, the official news service provider of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippnes (CBCP), said Parañaque Bishop Jesse Mercado put up the San Pedro Calungsod Quasi-Parish last Oct. 14.

“The quasi-parish envisions itself as a church of the poor, a refuge for those seeking hope and healing, a venue for people to be agents of change through spiritual formation and livelihood programs,” Fr. Benjamin Molina Jr., parish priest, said.

Source: https://www.philstar.com/metro/2012/11/29/875903/calungsod-stamps-sold-out-9-days

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Rence Chan

Philippine Postal Corporation, Main Lobby, Ermita, Manila –Philippines

It was earlier this year, when I heard news about the on-going proposal for the issuance of the Metro Bank ‘s company’s golden anniversary commemorative stamp through the Philippine Postal Corporation ( Philpost ) . Mrs. Elenita San Diego (Philatelic and Postage Department head) and Mr. Reynaldo Ong de Jesus (member of the stamp advisory committee) then invited me as a guest during one of the stamp advisory meeting consultation.

Although it was not my first time to attend such advisory meetings . As a philatelist (stamp collector), being invited in such a meeting is always been a privilege and an honor to meet the current stamp advisory board led by the enigmatic Postmaster General Maria Josefina Dela Cruz and board members of the stamp advisory committee.

Everyone is doing their job since there are various representatives from different government agencies like National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, National Historical Commission of the Philippines for historical validation, representative from stamp collecting clubs and other important people who can share their talent, wisdom and knowledge in the stamp design, marketing and public awareness.

History:

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank) founded in September 5, 1962 , has since become the premier universal bank and among the foremost financial institutions in the Philippines. It offers a full range of banking and other financial products and services, including corporate, commercial and consumer banking, as well as credit card, remittances, leasing, investment banking and trust banking. Metrobank currently spans a consolidated network of over 1,400 ATMs nationwide; over 760 domestic branches; and 38 foreign branches, subsidiaries, and representative offices.

The stamp collection traces back the roots and beginnings of Metrobank and into becoming the largest and premiere financial conglomerates today.

Metro Bank Foundation Incorporated:

Mr. George S. K. Ty established on January 8, 1979 , sixteen (16) years after he founded the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, the Metrobank Foundation is engaged in social development projects in the Philippines and other parts of Asia. As the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, the Foundation implements various programs in education, visual arts and healthcare. It also maintains an active and dynamic partnership with other organizations that likewise provide services for the disadvantaged. Among the Foundation’s flagship programs are the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence (MADE), Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT), College Scholarship Program (CSP), Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC), The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS), and Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS). It also supports programs aimed at educating the citizenry on public-interest issues through research and lectures given by the distinguished holders of the Metrobank Foundation Professorial Lecture established by the Foundation in partnership with reputable educational institutions.

Golden Anniversary Highlights:

One of the highlights of its 50th anniversary celebration this year, the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company ( Metrobank) unveiled to the public a collection of 4 commemorative stamps that chronicles the milestones in the bank’s history as symbolized by four significant structure built by the institution.

Technical Description: Metrobank, 50th Anniversary

Kind of Issue: Commemorative
Denominations and Quantity: Php 7.00 / 140,000 pieces
Date of Issue: August 29, 2012
Last date of Sale: August 28, 2013 (as stocks allow)
Sheet Composition: 40
Size: 30 mm x 40 mm
Perforation: 14
Printing Litho offset (4 colors)
Paper: Imported Unwatermarked
Printer: Amstar Company, Inc.
Lay out Artist: Victorino Serevo
Design Coordinators: Metrobank Foundation, Inc. & Mrs. Elenita San Diego
Designs: Provided by Metrobank

Stamp 1: Wellington Building -Binondo Branch, 1963

Stamp 2: Metrobank Plaza, Senator Gil Puyat , Makati City 1977

Stamp 3: GT Tower, 217 meters ( 3rd tallest building in the country ) 2004

Stamp 4: Metrobank Plaza, Shanghai,

People’s Republic of China, 2007

Note: I would like to thank, Philpost , Metro Bank Foundation and Metro Bank group of company for the invitation to the event. Maraming Maraming Salamat po ! This is a heart breaking experience as this would be the last stamp launching to be held within the Philpost building compound before the conversion into a hotel.

Source: Collectors Collection

The Philippines has its first ever female Postmaster General, with the appointment of Maria Josefina M. Dela Cruz as the chief executive of PhilPost, the Philippine Postal Corporation. After being appointed by Dela Cruz officially assumed office on July 18 with a formal handover ceremony at the Main Post Office Building in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila.

The new Postmaster General is a former three-term governor of Bulacan, the province located just to the north of Manila.

With degrees in management engineering and psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University, Dela Cruz began her public service career aged just 21 with election as the youngest ever member of the local council in the Bulacan town of Bocaue.

However, her appointment as the PhilPost chief is her first position as a government employee.

Josefina Dela Cruz said at her handover ceremony that PhilPost would soon be “reliable, trustworthy and efficient”

Postal employees hope her “vast experience” in public service will bring integrity and a new vision to Philpost, the state-owned company said.

Postmaster General Dela Cruz said of her appointment: “There are many challenges at PhilPost but they can all be overcome. PhilPost will soon be reliable, trustworthy and efficient.”

Dela Cruz takes over from Antonio De Guzman as Postmaster General, who presented his successor with a symbolic PhilPost flag during last month’s handover ceremony.

Source: Post & Parcel