Republic of the Philippines - Stamps & Postal History

RP Issues of 2013

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2013, October 14.  Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources (BFAR)

Featuring Endangered Species, and, Celebrating 50th Fish Conservation Week

Litho Offset.  Amstar Company, Inc.  Perf 14

Se-tenant Strips of 3, Miniature Sheets of 12;  Souvenir Sheets of One + Label

                  

    

 

Se-tenant Strips of Three  (50,000)

10p  "The Last Stand" - Chelonia Mydas (Pawikan) (Green Sea Turtle)

10p  "Small Things are Big" -  Pandaka Pygmaea (Tabios) (Dwarf pygmy goby) 

10p  "Deep Sea Blue"  - Rhincodon Typus (Butanding) (Whale Shark)

 

Miniature Sheets of Twelve  (12,500)

 

40p Souvenir Sheets of One + Label   (8,000)

 

Stamp Designs:  Winning entries from painting competiton sponsored by BFAR: 

 

First Prize:  The Last stand:  Green Sea Turtle with  Giant Manta Ray, Hammerhead  Shark  by Jaylord Aligway of University of Mindanao

Second Prize:  Small things are Big:  Pandaka Pygmaea by Jon Carlos A. Tabios of St. Louis University

Third Prize:  Deep Blue Sea :  Rhincodon Typus by Bernardino V. Vergara, Jr. of Caraga State University

 

 

 

First Day Covers:  Manila, Quezon City

 

      

 


BUREAU OF FISHERIES & AQUATIC RESOURCES

50th Fish Conservation Week

 

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).  An agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Agriculture responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of the Philippines' fisheries and aquatic resources.   On March 20, 1963, R. A. 3512 reorganized Philippine Institute of Fisheries Technology into the Philippine Fisheries Commission.  On September 30, 1972, under the Integrated Reorganization Plan, the Philippine Fisheries Commission was reverted to the Bureau of Fisheries. By virtue of Presidential Decree No. 461 signed on May 17, 1974, which reorganized the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources, the Philippine Fisheries Commission was renamed Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and placed under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Fisheries_and_Aquatic_Resources_(Philippines)

 

Stamp Designs:

Chelonia mydas (Green Sea Turtle) (Pawikan)They are called green turtles because of the color of the flesh. Chelonia mydas are one of the largest turtles ranging from 71 to 153 centimeters. They can weigh up to 205 kilograms. They have limbs that are paddle-like, which are used to swim. Their heads seem small compared to their body size. Males are larger than females and the tail is longer, extending well beyond the shell. The carapace can be olive to brown, or sometimes black, depending on the geographic location of the species. Green turtles cannot pull their heads inside of their shells. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chelonia_mydas/

The first stamp features one of the five marine turtles found in the Philippines, Green Sea Turtle or pawikan,  swims in sub-tropical and tropical seas. This species is Endangered  under the IUCN Red List and included in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I because of illegal trades and poaching. To conserve and protect this species, DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15, Republic Act 9147, and Section 97 of Republic Act 8550 are properly implemented by the government. Moreover, like sea turtles, giant manta ray or pagi inhabits warm waters globally. Because of overfishing this species are listed Vulnerable  by the ICUN and protected under the Fisheries Administrative Orders 193 and 208, Republic Act 9147, and Section 97 of Republic Act 8550. Furthermore, the scalloped hammerhead sharks also live in warm waters but because of overfishing and high demands for their fins as an expensive delicacy their population decreased over time. Aside from being listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List, a number of countries also agreed to sponsor a proposal to add this species to Appendix II of CITES to provide further protection last October 2012.

Pandaka pygmaea  (Dwarf pygmy goby) (Tabios)Tropical freshwater fish of the family Gobiidae. It is one of the smallest fish in the world by mass, and is also one of the shortest freshwater fish.  Mature males can reach up to 1.1 centimetres (0.43 in) SL, while the females can grow up to 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) SL.   Average weight is from 4 to 5 milligrams (0.00014 to 0.00018 oz). It is known as bia and tabios in the Philippines.   Pandaka. pygmaea is primarily a Philippine species that was endemic in the rivers of Malabon, Metro Manila. It used to frequent shady river banks in Rizal Province of Luzon, Philippines. It has also been collected in the sea at Culion Island, near Palawan, Philippines.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_pygmy_goby

The second stamp is inspired by the painting of a Dwarf Pygmy Goby (Pandaka pygmaea). Tabios or bia in vernacular tongue, Dwarf Pygmy Goby is the smallest fish in the world by mass and are endemic in the Philippines. However its population vanished or became extinct due to heavy pollution and land reclamation projects. Dwarf Pygmy Goby is listed as Critically Endangered under International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN Red List.

The Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) (Butanding).  A cosmopolitan tropical and warm temperate species and is the world’s largest living chondrichthyan.  Its life history is poorly understood, but it is known to be highly fecund and to migrate extremely large distances.  Populations appear to have been depleted by harpoon fisheries in Southeast Asia and perhaps incidental capture in other fisheries.  High value in international trade, a K-selected life history, highly migratory nature and normally low abundance make this species vulnerable to commercial fishing. Dive tourism involving this species has recently developed in a number of locations around the world, demonstrating that it is far more valuable alive than fished.  Recent developments in electronic and satellite tagging of Whale Sharks have demonstrated that these animals undertake multi-annual and very long-distance migrations. These include over 2,000 km from north-west Australia towards Asia, 550 km within a few weeks, a 2,000 km two month migration from the Mindanao Sea, inner Philippines.  http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19488/0

The third stamp employs the painting depicting the largest fish in the world known as Whale Shark or butanding.  Scientifically named as Rhincodon typus, Whale Shark is a migratory filter feeder that lives in all tropical and warm-temperate seas. Despite its huge form, whale shark is a peaceful species and do not show any significant threats to humans, it even let divers to swim alongside thus making it a big asset in ecotourism such as that at Donsol, Sorsogon. However, due to frequent seizures and illegal trades its population depleted and now considered vulnerable under the IUCN Red List while endangered based on the CITES Appendix II. This species is protected under the Section 97 of the Republic Act 8550, Republic Act 9147, Administrative Order 282, Fisheries Administrative Orders 193 and 208, and CITES Appendix II.

TOPICAL CATEGORIES

 

  • Marine Life

  • Fishes

 

Articles by Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak

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Issues of 2013