Top Rank promoter Bob Arum appears to be thrilled over the issue of a series of special postage stamps in honor of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and says it?s unique.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports, Arum said he learned about the stamps from our stories and photos on the widely-read philboxing.com website and said "we are buying three thousand sets" of the Collectors issue which comes in a beautiful, glossy folder.
Arum said "I don?t know any country that has issued a stamp for a living boxer" even as he noted that in the United States they issued stamps for heavyweight champion Joe Louis who was known as the "Brown Bomber" and Sugar Ray Robinson only after they had passed away.
Arum said Pacquiao deserves the accolades he receives and said his popularity among Filipinos in America can be seen everywhere they go.
Philippine Postmaster General Hector Villanueva said Pacquiao "epitomizes the true Filipino if given the opportunity." He said "we are very, very proud of this Filipino and honoring him is the least we can do."
Pacquiao?s business manager Eric Pineda said he expects to pick up 1,500 of the Collectors issue today and said that Pacquiao had asked him to get 3,000 copies.
The Central Post Office was receiving inquiries from the public wishing to know whether the stamps would be available in post offices in Metro Manila and in the rest of the country. However, the priority of the PhilPost is in responding to numerous orders for the Collectors issue.
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