Cory painting stamps a bestseller

MANILA, Philippines - On the first day of their release, about 50 percent of the rose-scented stamps featuring paintings made by former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino were sold, the Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) said yesterday.

PhlPost marketing management and support services manager Enrique Tagle said almost half of the 200,000 pieces of the block of four and 7,000 pieces of the souvenir sheet have been bought.

The block of four stamps features the Aquino painting “Overflowing with Good Wishes” that is now in the possession of Philippine STAR president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte; “Blooms of Unity” that is with Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Lilia de Lima; and two paintings – “Enchanting Blossoms” and “Fifth Painting” – that are with Metrobank Group chairman George Ty.

The souvenir sheet features the “Rosary and Roses Series” painting that she gave to businessman Manuel Pangilinan.

Tagle said as early as 7 a.m. yesterday, people had lined up outside the PHLPost central office building on Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila. The office is open from 8 a.m. Mondays to Fridays.

The PHLPost also received bulk orders from corporations as giveaways to clients.

“It was expected that the Cory painting stamps would be a big hit. As always, when we issue a Cory stamp, it is always sold out,” Tagle said, adding that it is evident that the former president is still much loved by the public five years after her death.

However, the postal office is not inclined to print additional copies of the stamps.

“We do not reproduce, we do not reprint. We might choose other subjects or other paintings. It is a common practice among philatelists not to reprint because this would lower the stamp’s value if the market is flooded with the same thing,” Tagle said.

He said all the six Cory stamps issued so far by PHLPost will be on display at an exhibit at the Glorietta Activity Center at 4 p.m. on Monday.

The event is organized by PeopleAsia and The STAR.