PHLPost issues folklore stamp 'Amihan'

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) yesterday released the third in its series of folklore stamps.

PHLPost philatelic services director Lenny San Diego said for the third quarter of its Philippine Folklores and Legend Series for Topical Issues for this year, they are featuring “Amihan,” or the first creature to inhabit the universe based on Tagalog myth.

Earlier this year, PHLPost came out with the “Maria Makiling” and “Habagat” folklore stamps.

San Diego said they produced 2,750,000 pieces of the 25 mm x 22 mm size Amihan stamp which would be sold at P7 per piece.

The Amihan stamp was made available to the public since yesterday and would be sold until Sept. 27, 2013 or until supply lasts.

Nemi Miranda Jr. designed the Amihan stamp while layout artist was Victorino Severo.

Amstart Company, Inc., meanwhile, printed the stamps.

PHLPost said that based on Tagalog folklore, Amihan, along with the gods called Bathala and Aman Sinaya, were the first creatures to live in the universe.

Amihan is also said to be a personification of the northeast wind. She is often represented as a beautiful, long-haired woman who brings cool breezes and safety to fishermen and seafarers, as long as they please her with their good hearts.

Amihan plays an important role in the story of creation. The two gods Aman Sinaya and Bathala were said to be rivals and would pit their powers against each other until it became a catastrophic war.

Aman Sinaya sent tempests into the sky and Bathala retaliated by hurling giant boulders from the mountaintops. These boulders would create the Philippine archipelago.

Since she was caught in the middle of the two warring gods, Amihan decided to put a stop to the conflict by taking the form of a bird. Flying back and forth between the two deities’ realms, she finally succeeded in bringing them together in peace.