POSTAL leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have unveiled a special commemorative stamp series featuring an iconic fruit from each member state, celebrating the region’s biodiversity, agricultural heritage and shared cultural identity.
The Asean Fruits 2026 stamps were unveiled in Manila, with Budget and Management Secretary Kim Robert de Leon and Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony leading the ceremony.
The collection features fruits considered representative of the 11 Asean member states, including the Philippines’ Carabao mango.
Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) Postmaster General Maximo Sta. Maria III said the stamps aim to showcase not only the region’s distinctive fruits but also the ties among Asean countries.
“Each stamp tells a story, not only of a nation’s treasured fruit, but of the friendship and partnership that unite Asean,” Sta. Maria said.
The stamp series highlights the diversity of Southeast Asia’s agricultural products while promoting philately as a means of connecting people and cultures across national borders.
The unveiling brought together postal officials and other representatives from Asean member states as the regional bloc continues to promote closer cooperation and a shared identity.
For the Philippines, the inclusion of the Carabao mango puts one of the country’s best-known agricultural products in the spotlight alongside fruits representing the other Asean nations.
The commemorative stamps are part of Asean’s efforts to use postal services and philately to promote the region’s cultural heritage and strengthen people-to-people ties.
De Leon, an avid stamp collector and Guinness World Records holder, joined the Malaysian envoy in leading the unveiling of the collection.
