A new country has to establish itself with it’s own national identity. Style is a big part of that, both for outsiders to recognize as Filipino, and natives to be reminded of home and hearth. In the early 1960s, a Philippines First Lady Evangalina Macapagal tried to be an exemplar of that style. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Philippines sure likes to show its elected leaders on it’s stamps. I think it comes out of the Spanish post Colonial claudillo(strongman) tradition. Wealth and power are in the hands of a few, of more pure Spanish stock. The mass of people are however more poor and indigenous. A smart leader then casts himself, whatever his background, as a fighter for the common man. Nothing wrong with hope.
Todays stamp is issue A178, a 2 Sentimos stamp issued by the Philippines on July 4th, 1965. It was a four stamp issue honoring the visit of Dutch Princess Beatrix. First Lady Evanangalina Macapagal is wearing a traditional Maria Clara gown for the formal occasion. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.
Eva’s husband Diosdado Macapagal served one undistinguished term as President from 1961-1965 representing the left of center party. He devalued the currency to increase exports and lower imports and made half hearted stabs at land reform and the corruption of large businesses called Stonehills, after a particularly flagrant American owned concern. He was sensibly blocked from sending the Army to Vietnam and gave up Philippine claims to part of Borneo that passed from Britain to Malaysia at the time. A deputy, Ferdinand Marcos, switched political parties and defeated Macapagal in his attempt at reelection.
The style of Eva Macapagal is what I want to spend some time on. She tried to inspire the women of the country to dress in a uniquely Philippine style. For formal occasions she wore the Maria Clara gown, named after the female protagonist in the national epic “Noli me Tangere”. The dress contains silk as well as pineapple fibers. For everyday, Eva wore patadyong kimonas. Her clothes were done for her by local designer Pitoy Moreno. Being from the left, she also proposed a pag-asa cloth dress for the masses, locally made and affordable. Eva, a medical doctor in her own right, died in 1998.
Eva was not entirely successful in creating and preserving a Filipinne style. However the country has only a few political families and her daughter Gloria Orroyo had her own undistinguished term as President from 2002-2009. Despite how she dressed as first daughter, she was most often seen in office wearing western attire. For her final 2009 State of the country annual address, Orroyo wore a Maria Clara gown, specialy made for the occasion and in honor of her late mother.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast Eva. The politicians around you were perhaps not the best, but there is something to be said for having style. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.