PHLPost rolls out commemorative stamps for National Artist Severino Montano

The Philippine Postal Corp. paid tribute to National Artist for Theater Dr. Severino Montano with a set of commemorative stamps marking his birth centenary.

Postmaster General Josefina dela Cruz cited Montano (1915-1980) for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of the arts.

An article on the PHLPost website said the stamps were launched at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in Intramuros, Manila.

NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and Assistant Postmaster General Luis Carlos presented the commemorative stamps frame to Pedro Montano Ruenduen Jr., Dr. Montano's nephew.

Ruenduen represented the family of the late National Artist.

Dr. Montano, a Master of Fine Arts graduate of Yale University, is credited for professionalizing the theater industry in the Philippines, PHLPost said.

It said he established the Arena Theater and funded it with his own money while serving as dean at Philippine Normal College.

He was a mentor to theater luminaries like Rolando Tinio, Emmanuel Borlaza, Joonee Gamboa, and Behn Cervantes.

Montano was a playwright, director and actor. His awards and recognitions include the Patnubay ng Kalinangan Award from the City of Manila (1968), the Presidential Award for Merit in Drama and Theater (1961), and the Rockefeller Foundation Grant to travel to 98 cities abroad (1950, 1952, 1962, and 1963).

Stamps

The Montano Stamps is classified as “commemorative” with a denomination of P10. Some 65,000 pieces were printed by Amstar Company, Inc.

Each stamp measures 40 mm by 30 mm and was laid out by PHLPost in-house artist Victorino Serevo and Ryann Arengo of NCCA. — Joel Locsin/BM, GMA News