Calungsod stamps sold out in 9 days

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.