THE SPEED AIRMAIL SERVICE
By: Emil P. Garcia, Jr., Postal Journal Staff

 

The Speed Airmail Service of the Bureau of Posts was first established pursuant to administrative Order No. 2 dated April, 1961. It formally started operation on May 3, 1961 and initially covered 8 major cities: Cebu, Iloilo, Davao, Bacolod, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Cotabato. Later, it effected its first expansion program with the addition of 5 cities: Iligan, Dipolog, Ozamiz, Roxas and Tagbilaran. 

The service during its early inception was then not popular among the mailing public until the early 70's when it started to gain nationwide patronage because of its speedy and efficient transmission and delivery of mail matters within the 24-hour period from the date of posting. 

The establishment of the service was intended to provide postal patrons in the Greater Manila Area and suburbs and in some cities with the means of obtaining fast and efficient delivery to them of letters and other mail matters transported by airplanes upon arrival thereof at the respective airports. 

Immediate deliveries of such kind of mail matters are effected by motorized mailmen to their respective addressees without being treated or handled at the post office if none has been established near the airport so as to reduce handling time lag. If a post office exists at the airport, then processing will be done at the said office before it is immediately delivered to the addressees. 

More motorized mailmen have recently been assigned to this kind of service in the Greater Manila area and other speed airmail points in cities and provinces. 

On account of the considerable increases of mail matters sent through this means, postal authorities thru the Mail Transportation Planning Section, Postal Planning Division, have been devising ways and measures for the nationwide expansion of the  service to cover as much as possible all airmail points in the country.  Arrangements with Philippine Airlines, the official carrier, have been undertaken to lend support and cooperation to the service by considering speed airmail bags as V-cargoes (valuable shipment.)

Effective 13 October 1975, the two-way Manila to other key cities and provinces, speed airmail service has been expanded to include a two-way service from cities and provinces in Luzon to cities and provinces in the Visayan and Mindanao.  The transmission and delivery of mails will be coursed through Manila as the transit office and still maintain the 24-hour mail delivery target. 

The following is the updated list of the expanded speed airmail service points throughout the country: 

TO AND FROM MANILA  (TWO-WAY) 

• Aparri, Cagayan

• Bacolod City

• Baguio City

• Basco, Batanes

• Boac, Marinduque

• Cagayan de Oro City

• Cauayan, Isabela

• Cebu City

• Cotabato City

• Daet, Camarines Norte

• Davao City

• Dipolog City

• Gen. Santos City

• Iligan City

• Iloilo City

• Kalibo, Aklan

• Legaspi City

• Mactan Airport, Cebu

• Naga City

• Ozamiz City

• Puerto Princesa City

TO AND FROM CITIES AND PROVINCES IN LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO VIA-MANILA

• Aparri - Cebu City

• Aparri - Iloilo City

• Aparri - Bacolod City

• Aparri - Davao City

• Baguio - Cebu City

• Baguio - Iloilo City

• Baguio - Bacolod City

• Baguio - Davao City

• Basco - Cebu City

• Basco - Iloilo City

• Basco - Bacolod City

• Basco - Davao City

• Boac - Cebu City

• Boac - Iloilo City

• Boac - Bacolod City

• Boac - Davao City

• Cauayan - Cebu City

• Cauayan - Iloilo City

• Cauayan - Bacolod City

• Cauayan - Davao City

• Cebu City - Iloilo City

• Cebu City - Cagayan de City

• Cebu City - Davao City

• Cagayan de Oro City - Davao City

• Daet - Bacolod City

• Daet - Davao City

• Legaspi - Cebu City

• Legaspi - Bacolod City

• Legaspi - Davao City

• Legaspi - Iloilo City

• Naga City - Cebu City

• Naga City - Bacolod City

• Naga City - Iloilo City

• Naga City - Davao City

• Pto. Princesa - Cebu City

• Pto. Princesa - Iloilo City

• Pto. Princesa - Bacolod

• Pto. Princesa - Davao City

• San Jose, Mdo. Occ. - Cebu City

• San Jose, Mdo. Occ. - Iloilo City

• San Jose, Mdo. Occ. - Bacolod City

• San Jose, Mdo. Occ. – Davao

• Tuguegarao – Iloilo City

• Tuguegarao – Bacolod

• Tuguegarao – Davao City 

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Speed airmail dispatches to Manila include speed airmail matter for Manila, Quezon City, San Juan, Pasay City, Makati, Mandaluyong and Caloocan City. 

Expansion of the delivery area of speed airmail for Greater Manila includes Paranaque, Las Pinas and Pasig. 

Speed airmail rates are:  P1.50 for every 50 grams or fraction thereof with a minimum charge of P3.00 for each separately addressed envelope.  Minimum weight is 5 kilos.

 

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