ONE PROFESSOR’S HISTORY WITH STAMPS
because I can use them as conversation pieces. Little bits of history come to mind whenever I see these stamps.”
He agrees that stamps are tools for teaching and calls them “products of the time.”
“It’s like a tiny time machine on an envelope. It opens a discussion, it can really be a teaching tool for easy understanding of history. Since we are visual learners and Filipinos are a visual culture, stamps can attract us to learn about different stories and symbolisms.”
Chua has even done livestreams that focus on exploring history via stamps. “Imagine, over an envelope showing the victory after World War II, you can tell what happened during the occupation and liberation ... Stamps are signposts of our story as a nation, of the important memories of our past, especially during the time when we were still writing letters.”
He notes that stamp collectors need to conduct their own research as well. “I don’t think may stamp collector na hindi marunong sa history. For example, the Marcos stamps during the 1970s are really propaganda stamps for the administration. Do you make them evidence for the good times during the New Society? Well, you may, but remember that stamps are state production. So you can also use them for critiquing the narrative of the state. You can also show that they are contesting narratives, so you have the pro-Marcos stamps and then you have stamps commemorating the People Power Revolution. With these you tell the contesting narratives of our history.”
He added, “The stamp’s power is in many ways not inherent, it’s really how we tell the story of the stamp ... it’s up to us how we use it.”
He believes that stamps can teach others as long as one condition is followed: you should read independently. “We should be critical with everything that we read. Hindi dahil nakita mo sa internet ay paniniwalaan mo na agad.” To learn with your own efforts is reaching the deepest knowledge treasure from the stamps.
Because he’s a history fan, Chua collects mostly historical stamps. “I am not into plants and animals or science so much.”
Recent stamps
In recent times there have been stamp issuances featuring various artists, athletes and global sensations.
Chua said, “Hidilyn Diaz, front-liners, Vilma Santos, Nora Aunor ... the story that you can tell through these images is that you can be great. A person does not have to be in stamps when they are dead. A lot of people who are alive are already on stamps. These stamps tell you that history is happening right now.”
This collector also feels some personal connections to some stamps, like those that commemorate the school hall where he teaches.
He invites others to try collecting. He said, “Stamps have value. You can resell them, you can give them as gifts which people will be fascinated by, so walang sayang sa kaniya. Isa pa na maganda diyan is you have a direct link to history and a signpost of our journey as a people, it proves strong as a visual aid in teaching history.”
And he hopes they find the joy he finds in stamps as well. “Whether it’s a commemorative stamp or a heroes stamp, it reminds me of how great my people, the Filipino people, are.”