PHLPost Celebrates 252nd Postal Service Anniversary

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin ultimately found his memories of being an avid stamps collector and a hobbyist when he entered the iconic building of the Manila Central Post Office as guest of honor and speaker during the celebration of the 252nd Anniversary of the Philippine Postal Service and the kick-off ceremony of the National Stamp Collecting Month (NSCM) last November 08.

CJ Bersamin’s fascination with stamps dates back to his childhood when he cut out and soke letter corners to get the stamps and drying them between pages of old newspapers.

His interest in history pushes him to love collecting stamps. He said stamps are undeniably artifacts or records that also marked and relate history for they depicts with vividness epochs or eras of the nation’s life and times.

He could only wish that more of the younger generation would rediscover and reacquaint themselves with stamps because stamps are miniature artworks they really are. Stamps are still worthy treasures and he hope that a revival or renaissance that the postal service created will still happen even in the age of technology.

He congratulated PHLPost during the month of Philately by gathering together loyal philatelists and young artists responsible for creating the artwork that found its way in stamps. 

A ribbon cutting ceremony led by former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, PHLPost Chairman Norman Fulgencio, OIC-APMG for Marketing and Management Support Services Maxie Sta. Maria III and Paranaque City Vice Mayor Rico Golez, son of former Postmaster General Roilo Golez formally opened the "Art of History" Exhibit featuring Artworks of Philatelic Artists in celebration of the 252nd Postal Service Anniversary and Kick-off Ceremony of National Stamp Collecting Month.

The National Stamp Collecting Month is an annual event observed every month of November under the Presidential Proclamation Number 494 signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos, to celebrate Philately in the country. It aims to create, maintain, and increase postal awareness and interest through various activities that would inspire and encourage Filipinos across all ages to venture into the hobby of stamp collecting. A postage stamp has helped preserved histories and culture of the country.

Highlighting the month-long celebration of 2019 NSCM, will be the launching of Pinoy Music Icon commemorative stamps to proudly honor three (3) Filipino legendary singers and pioneers in promoting Original Pilipino Music (OPM) in the country. The special

Commemorative stamp featuring the iconic OPM Artists, Rene Garcia, Rico J. Puno aka “The Total Entertainer” and Pepe Smith (Mick Jagger of the Philippines and The Father of Philippine Rock).

A special exhibition of the Icons’ memorabilia will be opened at the lobby of the historic Manila Central Post Office building in a night full of music and fun activities on November 15, 2019.

Other activities includes Green and Wild Expo stamp exhibit featuring the beautiful flora and fauna of the Philippines at the SMX Convention Center Aura on November 20-21, LIHAM Fashion Show featuring Filipino traditional courting and national costumes on November 23, Bridging Generations: Philatelic Forum which aims to raise awareness about Philately to young students in partnership with the Royal Thai Embassy on November 27.

The Pinoy Music Icon will be available starting November 11 to be sold at 45 pesos each in a strip of three (3) souvenir sheets at P135. Copies of the stamps were distributed in limited quantities. For inquiries, please call 527-01-08 or 527-01-32.

PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival Wraps Up In Iloilo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The 18th PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival concluded with the screening of Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s “El reino” at the Cinematheque Center in Iloilo City last November 9.

For three days, starting November 7, Instituto Cervantes showed a selection of films from the festival, in their original Spanish version with subtitles in English, at the said venue for free.

The festival’s final leg kicked off with the Argentinean black comedy “El cuento de las comadrejas” (The Weasels’ Tale), which won the “Premio del Público” (Audience Choice Award) of PELÍCULA 2019 at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City last month.

The film, which was directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Juan José Campanella, tells the story of a famous actress, an actor, a film director and screenwriter who were popular during the Golden Age of Cinema, as they do the impossible to preserve the world they have created.

Last November 8, PELÍCULA screened Gastón Duprat’s “Mi obra maestra” (2018), which focuses on two friends with very different personalities: Arturo, a charming and unscrupulous art dealer, and Renzo, a sullen painter whose fame has declined.

In the film, Arturo tries to relaunch the artistic career of Renzo, but things get from bad to worse, until they come up with an extremely ludicrous plan. The film got the Audience Award at the Valladolid International Film Festival last year.

“El mejor verano de mi vida” (2018), directed by Dani de la Orden, was screened last November 9. The popular Spanish comedy delves into the life of Curro, an unlucky salesman burdened with debt, as he tries to fulfill his promise to his son to go on an unforgettable summer holiday.

PELÍCULA closed with the drama “El reino” (2018), which has received more than 30 awards worldwide. Highlighting a very interesting insight into contemporary politics and corruption, the film is about a Spanish politician who enjoys the good life, while enriching himself with public funds. When a friend and fellow member of his political party gets accused of corruption, he tries to cover up for him, against the directives of the leaders of his party.

The Spanish Film Festival was presented by Instituto Cervantes along with the Embassy of Spain, AECID, UP Film Institute, TurEspaña and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.



The event was also made possible by Rustan’s, The PTC Group of Companies, Cinematheque Center Iloilo, Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, TBA Studios, Netflix, and Spanish restaurants La Picara, Barcino, Bar Pintxos, Tapella and Pablo Bistro.

Benilde Film “Tahanan” Wins in California

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A capstone project from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts film program recently bagged the Bronze award in the short film category of the 26th Annual Filipino International Cine Festival and Competition at the International Hotel Manilatown Center in San Francisco, California.

Alsen Estrella’s “Tahanan,” which tells the story of Sabel (Junyka Santarin) who searches for his younger brother Bert (Rein Matudan) as they escape from an evil entity inside their home, got the award from among 21 short films which were chosen as finalists to the competition.

Estrella shared that the story for his film was conceptualized during his first few years in film school. “It's just a concept that I never got to shoot, because I haven't figured out how to write the narrative for it just yet. When the time to shoot our thesis came, I was burnt out. It took me some time but eventually, it became a clear choice that I should use the concept for my thesis project.”

Arby and Christine Laraño’s “Liwanag,” Lawrence Fajardo’s “Memories of the Rising Run” and Ralph Quincena’s “Bisperas” won the Gold award, Juan Carlo Torobal’s “Nilalang” got the Silver, while King Abalos’ “Maria” shared the Bronze with “Tahanan.”

FACINE founder and artistic director Mauro Feria Tumbocon Jr. explained that the festival reconsidered its process of selection of awardees “as not exclusive to one film, but more than one, if need be, thus mitigating the idea of competition, but more of a continuing conversation. Hence, the categorization to levels of valuation – Gold, Silver, Bronze, as the case may be.”

“Tahanan” was also nominated for Outstanding Writing for the Screen (Estrella), Outstanding Lead Actress (Santarin), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Matudan) and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Mari Joy Cacho).

This is not the first time that “Tahanan” was selected in an international film festival. The short film was also screened at the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival in the non-competition section and was also a finalist in the student short film competition of the Cebu International Film Festival.

The jury is composed of director, producer and Sacramento International Asian American Film Festival award-winning actress Kristine Geolaga, actor, director and media workshop facilitator Theophilus Jamal, and curator and cultural organizer Lian Ladia.

“The finalists were selected based on their overall artistic achievement, and among a rare few, for the formal innovations introduced,” Tumbocon revealed.

Estrella hopes to get his film screened in more venues. “I've submitted it to some festivals. It's just a matter of getting accepted or not. Either way, my goal isn't to win awards but rather reach an audience that appreciate the genre and its underlying theme.”

FACINE, the largest and longest-running event of its kind in North America, has been the premier showcase of new works and Filipino film classics in the United States for the past 26 years. It is organized by the Filipino Arts & Cinema International, non-profit media arts organization based in San Francisco that aims to promote and develop Filipino cinema from the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora.