The top three winners in this year’s On-the-Spot Stamp Design Contest jointly organized by the United Nations Information Centre Manila (UNIC) and the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) were formally announced in awarding ceremonies held recently at Philpost.

The winners are: Krysten Alarice Tan (first prize); Justen Paul Tolentino (second prize); and Christian Art D. Malquisto (third prize). Tan and Tolentino are third and fourth year high school students, respectively, from St. Stephen’s High School, Manila, while Malquisto is a fourth year high school student from Lakandula High School, Manila.

Recently, an interesting article was written in the GetWet-Asia.com about the Dia Del Galeon Festival 2010, which states:

Although ozone (O3) is present in small concentrations throughout the atmosphere, most ozone (about 90%) exists in the stratosphere, in a layer between 10 and 50km above the surface of the earth. This ozone layer performs the essential task of filtering out most of the sun’s biologically harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. Concentrations of ozone in the atmosphere vary naturally according to temperature, weather, latitude and altitude. Furthermore, aerosols and other particles ejected by natural events such as volcanic eruptions can have measurable impacts on ozone levels.

Last year, the town of San Nicolas in Ilocos Norte celebrated the centennial of its reconstitution through the Damili Festival slated from November 9 to December 31. Damili, an Ilocano word meaning pottery or pottery making, is a traditional livelihood of the San Nicolas folks. The two-month long celebration is in pursuant of Proclamation 1832 signed by President Gloria Arroyo on July 6, 2009 declaring 2009 as the Centennial Year of the Reconstitution of the Municipality of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. The proclamation also directs various agencies including the National Historical Institute (NHI) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to participate in the celebration.

Historically, San Nicolas was separated from Laoag and its territory was reconstituted on January 1, 1909 pursuant to Executive Order 101 dated October 22, 1908, issued by then-Gov. Gen. James Smith.

The said stamps, which is part of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by Philpost and the local government of Quezon City last September 23, will come out in a block-of-four which features Manuel L. Quezon with the Philippine Flag and the Phylon, the facade of the Quezon City Hall, the Araneta Center and the Eastwood City.

Quezon City is the largest of Metro Manila’s cities in population and land area. At 160 square kilometers, it is an urban landscape spread over one-fourth of the Philippines’ metropolitan area. Its expansive lands, reasonably priced real estate, strategic location and large consumer market are immediate plus factors for business. It is considered as the “City of the Young” as about half of its 2.68 million population are less than 24 years old. Strengthening the capacity of its young population are about 65 colleges and universities, among them the prestigious University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University, and countless training centers and early childhood learning facilities.

The Philippine Postal Corporation is coming up with the 2011 United Nations Issue International Year of the Forests stamps, which will be issued on October 24, 2011. It is classified as a “Special” kind of issue with a denomination of P 7.00 and quantity of 70,000 pieces.

PSHS scholars have access to world - class curriculum, a topnotch faculty and a competitive, high - pressure environment that trains them to recognize their own eniqueness and use their giftedness to be independent leaders and responsible citizens even in their early adolescent years.