RP bridges featured in Singapore stamps

Philippine and Singapore bridges are featured in stamps commemorating the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Singapore. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the stamps are a joint effort of the Singapore Postal Office and the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost). "The bridge theme for the commemorative stamps was chosen because the bridges connects both countries symbolically, and is a popular theme among stamp collectors," the DFA said in an article on its website (www.dfa.gov.ph). It said the Singapore Postal Office and Philpost launched the four limited-edition postal stamps in Singapore this month.

According to the DFA, the Singapore Philatelic Museum worked closely with Philpost in implementing the project, which took almost a year to complete. One of the two Philippine bridges featured in the stamps is the Bamban Bridge in Pampanga, which links Mabalacat to Tarlac. While the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 destroyed it, Bamban Bridge was rebuilt in 1998 and is one of the longest bridges in the world. The second bridge featured is the Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Cebu City, which connects Cebu and Mactan Islands. Opened in 1991, the bridge is named after the late Chief Justice and Senator Marcelo Fernan. Two other stamps featuring Singapore bridges complete the commemorative issue, including the Henderson Waves Bridge and the Cavenagh Bridge. All commemorative stamps can be ordered at SingPost’s online shopping portal vPost, at http://shop.vpost.com.sg. Meanwhile, the Singapore Philatec Museum is now preparing for a Philippine-themed stamp exhibit in October titled “Bayanihan: Spirit of the Philippines." - GMANews.TV