young letter writer

PRESS RELEASE: PHLPost young letter writer competes in Switzerland

June 7, 2017   Posted By: Corp.Comm

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has announced the winner who will represent the Philippines in this year’s 46th International Letter Writing Competition organized by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Berne, Switzerland.

Giselle Coron, Communication and Events Programme Director of the International Bureau of the UPU formally accepted the entry of Clarence Christian Chua, a 13 years old student at the Grace Christian College, Quezon City.

Mr. Chua bested 71 other young letter writers all over the country in a local contest organized by PHLPost nationwide to select the best entry to the international competition. Chua received P5,000 and a certificate of recognition, while his school received a PHLPost Philatelic Presentation frame.

This year’s nationwide contest focuses on the international theme: “Imagine you are an advisor to the new UN Secretary-General; which issue would you help him tackle first and how would you advise him to solve it?"

In his opening letter, Mr. Chua said, “I used to hear these words from my mother “Finish your food.“ Out of curiosity, he asked, why”” his mother replied, “Because there are street children out there who have nothing to eat. “ He obediently finished his food, not sparing a grain of rice on the plate. From that day on, He realized the reality of a hungry world and the growing problem of food insecurity in our world today.”

An estimated 1.5 million young people all over the world are expected to participate in this year’s international contest.

The competition was created by the UPU in 1969 Tokyo Congress and officially launched in 1971. The Universal Postal Union, in which the Philippines is an active member, establishes a theme annually, with participating countries choosing an entry for the UPU international competition.

PHLPost hope that the entry of Chua will surpass the bronze medal that Ashley Nicole Abalos of PAREF-Woodrose School in Muntinlupa City won in the 2014 edition of the International Letter-Writing Competition for Young People also in Switzerland.