LISBON 26 July 2021 – In commemoration of the 500 years of the arrival of Portuguese navigator Fernão de Magalhães (Ferdinand Magellan) in the Philippine islands, the Correios, Telégrafos e Telefones (CTT) Correios de Portugal, the Portuguese National Postal Office, launched on 19 July 2021, three special edition stamps featuring images that link the historical narrative of Portuguese navigator Fernão de Magalhães (Ferdinand Magellan) with the Philippines.
The three special edition commemorative stamps feature the winning artwork by a Filipino artist from Balayan, Batangas, Mr. Bernardo A. Maac, entitled, “Presentation of the Icon”, which won in the Quincentennial Art Competition of the Philippine National Quincentennial Committee (€2.50 stamp); the image of the Sto. Nino de Cebu (€1.00 stamp); and the iconic image of Magellan’s Cross in Cebu City (€0.54 stamp). The images on the stamps chosen by the Portuguese National Postal Office best reflect the historical narrative of the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan in the Philippines.
This commemorative stamp project was made possible through the tripartite collaboration of the CTT Correios de Portugal, the Estrutura de Missão para as Comemorações do V Centenário de Fernão de Magalhães (EMCFM), the Portuguese counterpart of our National Quincentennial Committee, and the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon. This project is one of the many collaborations that the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon has entered into with the EMCFM to commemorate the Philippine part of the 500the Anniversary of the Circumnavigation of the Magellan Expedition.
The timing of the issuance of these commemorative stamps could not come at a better time as, in addition to the many Quincentennial commemorative activities, which both the Philippines and Portugal have organized in 2021, this year both countries are also celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. The launch of these commemorative stamps in Portugal have given special meaning to all the milestone celebrations in 2021.
The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon continues to proactively find avenues to promote Philippine culture, heritage and shared narratives with the Portuguese public, bringing greater awareness of the Philippines and creating stronger people to people cooperation and linkages between the two nations and peoples.
Source: Republic of Philippines Department Of Foreign Affairs