The Anthem Philatelist

Fr. Marcelline Jayakody (June 3, 1902─January 15, 1998) was a well-known Sri Lankan Catholic priest, musician, lyricist, author, journalist and patriot, and an exponent of indigenous culture who, according to a former High Court Judge, directed the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka towards the mainstream of national life. Fr. Jayakody served as the head priest in Duwa in 1939. Duwa is the Passion Play Village in Sri Lanka. A Passion Play is a religious drama of medieval origin dealing with the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Originally, the play used traditional puppets as actors for Duwa Passion play. Jayakody wrote original script for a Passion play influenced by Fr. Jacome Gonsalves and composed new hymns to the traditional "Pasan". He is the first Catholic priest to win the " Ramon Magsaysay Award " considered the Asian Nobel Prize, (which carried along with it 20,000 US$, a Medal and a Citation) on 31st August, 1983 in Manila, Philippines. Fr. Jaya...

Asuncion Arriola Perez (1895-1967) a simple and quiet individual but her deeds speak for her. She has been a servant to her fellow men since she became a social worker for the Red Cross in 1924. She has unselfishly helped her countrymen specially the less fortunate. As the saying goes "Once a social worker, always a social worker. She was the Executive Secretary of the Associated Charities of Manila and the Red Cross. During the was she and her husband were arrested by the Japanese. After the war she was called back to government service as superintendent of the Relief Office for the Greater Manila Area . As president of the PACSA (President's Action Committee on Social Ameliorization) she was entrusted to handle a budget of 4 million pesos to rehabilitate victims of the war. At the close of 1953 when President Quirino lost to Ramon Magsaysay , she resigned from her post as cabinet member. This brought to a close the government service of this great woman, Asuncion Arriol...

Vicente F. Fabell a (1891-1959). Educator, economist, civic leader and the first Filipino certified public accountant . He was the founder of Jose Rizal College .  He was born on May 7, 1891 in Pagsanjan , Laguna , the third of six children of Juan Fabella, who served as mayor of Pagsanjan during the Spanish and American regimes, and Damiana Fernandez.    He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Philippines in 1912 and then continued his studies in the United States, obtaining concurrent degrees of bachelor of philosophy from the University of Chicago and diploma in commerce from Northwestern University in 1915. That same year, he became a certified public accountant in the state of Wisconsin .   In 1916, upon his return to the Philippines, he became a professional lecturer in accounting and auditing at the University of the Philippines . At the same time, he opened the accounting firm, Vicente Fabella and Company.   He was inst...

Guillermo Estrella Tolentino (1890-1976) is the "Father of Philippine Arts", a product of the Revival period in Philippine art. He also is the fourth director of the UP School of Fine Arts. Tolentino was named National Artist in Sculpture in 1973. He first attained National recognition for his masterpiece, the multi-figural Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City- the symbol of the Filipinos' cry for freedom. His other famous work include the Oblation in the University of the Philippines-symbol of freedom at the campus, and the statue of Ramon Magsaysay in the lobby of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building. His design for the Ramon Magsaysay Award the gold and bronze medals and the seal of the Republic of the Philippines made him the "National Artist for Sculpture" in 1973. Date of Issue: June 1, 1990

Whatever by Josefina "Jo" Gaboya Magsaysay Reprinted with permission from Sunstar Cebu August 31, 2006 issue   He was playing Mozart on the piano, his fingers caressing the keys like a lover. Piano was his first love, his first teacher was Anita Cabahug Trasmonte who rapped his wrists and knuckles to keep them in line. Be a doctor, his father, Engr. Vic (Evangelista-Auza- Garcia ) Avanzado, ( Talibon , Bohol ) told him, don’t be a musician. And because he was a good son, he obeyed his father.   Now Vicente B. Avanzado Jr . is a full-fledged doctor of medicine, in fact a fellow and a diplomate in Gastroenterology . Goodlooking with a smiling personality and yes, he still plays the piano. Beautifully. Music "relaxes and inspires" him and he believes "music and medicine are alike, both need continuous study and both can heal."    To celebrate Ting’s successful entry into the rarefied medical clique of fellows (he completed his fellowship at U.E. Ramo...