Stamp of Approval

Have you also read this feature published last September 3 by Manila Bulletin?

http://focusfeature.mb.com.ph/2017/09/03/stamp-of-approval/

Some excerpts from the article by Lorraine Lorenzo:

"Enthusiasts like Jorge Cuyugan, the current PSCS president, would head down PHLPost to buy the newest issues from the post office’s stamp shop. He is well known for his collection of Rizaliana stamps, and has actually completed all stamps depicting the national hero from collections dating as early as 1906."

"Dr. Ymerson Tan, another collector and a friend of Cuyugan, has a complete collection of the Queen Isabella II stamps — the first stamps issued when the Philippines opened its own postal service during Spanish times. He would also visit the post office regularly to purchase new issues, and he shared how he would get some of the rarest pieces – like a Year of the Monkey stamp that didn’t have the word ‘Monkey’ in it."

"Josie Cura, president of FSCS, would regularly set up a table at the PHLPost lobby, where they would sell old and rare stamps, as well as an indexed calendar of stamp issues for serious and beginning collectors."

"Rodin Teodoro, a stamp designer with over 30 designs under his wing, shares the importance of stamps in our culture. 'When I design, I try to keep it simple but classy because stamps are a way of showing the the world our history and culture.'"

PSCS is Pampanga Stamp Collectors' Society, and FSCS (sic) is Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club.

Have fun!

FSCC officers

Found this list of officers and members of the board of directors of the Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club for 2005-07 in an auction list of the period.

Collectors' Connection

The first three editions of Collectors' Connection, dated March 1997, June 1997 and September 1997, and published quarterly by the Manila Stamp Collectors' Club (renamed later to Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club), contains a wealth of good advice for the beginning collector, especially the editorial and the sections titled Basic Philately, The Stamp Language, Philatelic Geography, Collectors' Workshop, and Basic Don'ts of Stamp Collecting.

But it's not only for the beginners, as some news and features also cater to other collectors.

Josefina Tiongson Cura and Eliezer A. Jimenez comprise the editorial staff. This newsletter was "published quarterly in order to promote philately. It is distributed free to all MSCC members and patrons of Philately."

At that time, the monthly MSCC fellowship, auction and bourse every third Sunday was held at the Philatelic Library & Museum situated on the 3rd floor of the Philpost Bldg. Annex. The Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club has continued the same schedule but it is now held at the Philpost lobby, as the Philatelic Library & Museum has been closed.

In her second Mixtures column, Mrs. Cura announced that the MSCC "is the first stamp club in the Philippines to be on the Internet."

A revival of this newsletter would be great!

FSCC 10th year

This is the official first day cover for the 10th year of Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club issue, an overprinted souvenir sheet. (There are at least two distinct shades of the souvenir sheet.)

FSCC had its beginnings in October 1994 with only five stamp collectors around. 

Then known as the Manila Stamp Collectors' Club, its first meeting was held on January 15, 1995 at a fastfood restaurant.

"Manpex '98" was the club's first exhibition held in April 1998.  
In 1999 (or was it in 2000?), the club's name changed to the present one.

One of the five founding members is Josefina T. Cura, still active in philately all these years!