Philippine Philatelic Walking Tour

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports, "The postal heritage walking tour around Manila hopes to resurrect the dying art of stamp collecting in an age of e-mail and instant messaging through leisurely strolls around historic sites around the country’s capital."

Reporter Jeannette Andrade writes, "What’s magical about the tour is the Filipinas Stamp Collectors’ Club’s (FSCC) ability to uncover hidden gems of history around Manila using postage stamps as its guide."

The FSCC was first organized by stamp collectors in October 1994 as the Manila Stamp Collectors’ Club aimed at beginners and intermediates. It was later renamed as the FSCC in January 2000 and has some 70 active members to date according to the article.

Lawrence Chan, FSCC vice president and tour guide, is quoted in the piece as saying, "The Philippines was the first country in Asia to issue stamps, printing and releasing them on Feb. 1, 1854."

Shown above, a 1954 stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the first Philippine stamps. Manila's main post office (which is one of the stops on the walking tour) is shown on the right of the stamp.

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