The Philippines is hosting the 3rd ASEAN Para Games, a biennial multi-sports championship for the differently disabled on December 14-21, 2005 with over 1,200 athletes from eleven (11) countries seeing action. It follows the Southeast Asian Games and is hosted by the same country where the SEA Games take place.

The Southeast Asian version of the Paralympics started in 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vietnam hosted the second meet of the games. The event expands this year to an ambitious bid to reach a wider audience and match popularity of mainstream sports events such as the SEA Games.

Chaired by Michael Barredo, President of the International Blind Sports Federation, the Philippines ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee included five (5) more sports disciplines in the calendar, increasing the total number of regular sports to ten (10) and possibly adding four (4) more as demonstration events.

Over six hundred (600) gold medals are at stake in the tournament that will feature the exploits of top athletes who are visually impaired, orthopedically handicapped, intellectually disabled and those with cerebral palsy.

An international Paralympics Committee sanctioned event, the ASEAN Para Games is being held the same year as the SEA Games. Other participating countries are Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, East Timor and Vietnam.

The 3rd ASEAN Para Games has adopted the whale shark (Rhicondon typus) as its mascot. Affectionately named "Buboy Butanding", it is considered the largest fish in the world. This gentle giant is found to be playful by those who encounter it, visits the Philippine waters between the months of November to May and is a protected specie. As the 3rd ASEAN Para Games mascot, "Buboy Butanding" embodies gentleness and determination.

Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, and the first modern Olympics was also held in Greece in 1896. So it is very appropriate that the Olympics return to Greece once more.

Over 10,000 athletes and over 5,000 team officials from 201 National Olympic Committees will participate in the 28 different sports events between August 13 and 29. There will be 301 medal ceremonies.

in Philippines has participated in 17 Olympic Games since 1924, but no Filipino athlete has yet returned home with a gold medal. In 80 years, the bounty includes only 2 silver and 7 bronze medals.

In all, 359 athletes in 19 different sports disciplines have represented our country. The biggest contingent was the 64 athletes who went to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The smallest delegation was made up of only 1 athlete, David Nepomuceno, who competed in the 100-meter and 200-meter events during the 1924 Paris Olympics. We skipped the 1980 Moscow Olympics following the lead of the United States in boycotting that Olympics.

The 2 silver medals we got both came from boxing. Anthony Villanueva settled for the silver in the featherweight division during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco got his silver medal in the light flyweight division during the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Swimmer Teofilo YIdefonso brought home the first bronze medal whom he won in the 200-meter breaststroke event in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. He got another bronze medal when he finished third again in the same event at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

5 other bronze medals were netted by tracksters Simeon Toribio and Miguel White; and boxers Jose "Cely" Villanueva, Lepoldo Serantes and Roel Velasco.

3 other Filipino athletes have also won medals, but only in demonstration/exhibition sports. Arianne Cerdena won the gold medal in ladies' bowling during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, while Stephen Fernandez and Bea Lucero each got a bronze in taekwondo during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

This year, the Philippine contingent is composed of 16 athletes: 5 in swimming, 4 in boxing, 3 in taekwondo, and 1 each in shooting, archery, track and field, and marathon. These events are the ones depicted on the 4 stamps, a souvenir sheet and 2 first day covers.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem" Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes and carries the city to the world. It is a symbol of trust and an expression of self-confidence, standing for the solemn yet sacred promise that Beijing, the host city of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has made to the world and to all mankind. It conveys the unique cultural quality and elegance of Chinese civilization.

The Chinese government promoted the Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transportation systems.

The stamps will feature four graphic designs with two different colored background at the upper right corner and lower left corner. The different colors of the background symbolize unity from all corners of the world. Also, the Philippine Olympic Committee Logo is shown on the lower right corner to signify its support to Filipino athletes who are competing in the Games.

Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, and the first modern Olympics was also held in Greece in 1896. So it is very appropriate that the Olympics return to Greece once more.

Over 10,000 athletes and over 5,000 team officials from 201 National Olympic Committees will participate in the 28 different sports events between August 13 and 29. There will be 301 medal ceremonies.