The Philippine Postal Corporation released special stamps featuring the Philippines Traditional Musical Instruments in celebration of the National Heritage Month.

The stamp features Eight different Philippines traditional musical instruments from the collection of National Artists for Music Ramon P. Santos, a musicologist who has done extensive research on traditional and contemporary music traditions of the Philippines and Asia.

The stamps are designed by PhlPost creative artist Victorino Z. Serevo. Beside stamps, special souvenir sheet and official first day cover, PHLPost also printed 5,000 copies of limited edition special souvenir sheet at P60 each.

Philippines National Heritage Month

May is the National Heritage Month or Filipino Heritage Month with its month-long festival of exhibits, performances, tours, processions, paradises and poetical jousts celebrating our historical landmarks and traditions.

The month of May was declared National Heritage Month through Proclamation 439 in 2003 mandating the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to conserve and promote the nation’s cultural and historical heritage.

The event is in recognition of the need to create among the people a consciousness, respect, and pride for the legacies of Filipino cultural history, and love of country.

Every year, events organizers including the Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc. (FHFI) President Armita Rufino and Finance Officer Araceli Salas propose a set of cultural activities to make the Filipinos aware of the Philippine traditions, practices and other wonders.

Philippines Traditional musical instruments

The following musical instruments appeared in the regular stamps are:

• Kulintang- sets of graduated gongs laid in a row used in Southern Philippines
• Kudyapi- a two-stringed, fretted boat-lute, used by the Maguindanao and Maranao
• Dabakan- a large goblet shaped drum used in kulintang ensembles
• Gangsa- flat gongs made of bronze, brass and iron

Four different instrument were also featured in the special souvenir sheet.

• Kudlong- a two string lute used by the Mansaka and Mandaya
• the Libbit – a conical drum with a deer goat head used by the ifugao
• the Agung – a larger, deep- rimmed gongs with sides that are turned in and used in southern Philippines
• the Gabbang- a bamboo xylophone found in Southern Philippines

Three different Philippines Traditional Musical Instruments were added to highlight the first day cover envelope and souvenir sheet.

• the Kubing, Jews harps made of bamboo and used in Southern Philippines
• the Gandingan, a set of four large hanging knobbed gongs with narrower rims and less prominent bosses
• the Sulibao, a longitudinal slightly barrel shaped hallowed out logs with deer skin heads on one end used by the Bondok and Ibaloi

These special stamps are a reflection of the country’s rich historic and cultural past, making the Filipinos, especially the younger generation, aware and proud of their roots.

Title: Philippines Traditional musical instruments stamps
Date of Issue: 5 May 2016
Country: Philippines
Denominations: P15 x 8

Source: Philippine Postal Corporation

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