Wikipedia

University of Santo Tomas on stamps, banknote and coins

The University of Santo Tomas has appeared on Philippine postage stamps, issued by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), a banknote and commemorative coins and medals.

The 2011 Quaricentennial stamp set.

Stamps

edit

University and Dominican history

edit

In 1956, the post office issued the first postage stamp to feature the university. Printed by a Swiss printing firm Courvoisier S.A., it was released on the 345th anniversary of UST. The 5-centavo and 60-centavo stamps feature the columns and the spandrel of the Arch of the Centuries and the UST Main Building.[1]

 
 
UST 1956 issue

In 1983, to commemorate the 390th anniversary of the first local printing press, a 40-centavo stamp was issued. It features the woodblock printing or xylographic press that is believed to be established by the Dominicans in 1593. A replica of the press machine was commissioned in 2009 for the Lumina Pandit exhibit and is currently displayed in the Miguel de Benavides Library. A second replica is displayed in the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences.[2][3][4][5] Doctrina Christiana, the first book in the Philippines was printed using the xylographic method in 1593. The book was published in Spanish-Tagalog and Chinese versions.[6][7]

  •  
    390th anniversary of the first local printing press in the Philippines

The Order of the Dominicans was commemorated on its 400th anniversary in the Philippines with 3 stamps in 1987. The 5.50-peso UST stamp features the UST Main Building tower and the foundation of the university mural by Antonio Garcia Llamas (1952-1954) that is found in the lobby of the UST Main Building. The mural depicts Miguel de Benavides, with Bernardo de Santa Catalina and Baltasar Fort. The 4.75-peso Letran stamp feature the St. John the Baptist Building, Colegio de San Juan de Letran founders Don Juan Geromino Guerrero and fray Diego de Santa Maria, who are flanked by graduating students. The 1-peso stamp features the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City and the image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila.

  •  
    The Foundation of the University of Santo Tomas by Antonio Garcia Llamas (1952-1954)
  •  
    Dominicans and the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.
  •  
    Dominicans and Letran

In 1995, the Philippine Post Office issued two sets of 18 and 12 stamp sheets to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. It features the various landings (arrivals) of American forces and liberation of Philippine cities in 1945. The Liberation of UST stamp is depicted by the Arch of the Centuries, the sillhouette of the UST Main Building tower, and the shoulder sleeve insignias of the United States' 37th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Division. The university campus served as an internment camp from 1942 to 1945.[8][9]

The University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Santo Tomas University Hospital as it was called then, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1996. On March 5, 1996, the PHLpost commemorated the hospital with the issuance of a 2-peso stamp. It features the private division wing of the hospital, later renamed as the St. Vincent Ferrer building, and the old hospital logo.[10]

In 2011, stamps were issued to commemorate the quadricentennial anniversary of the university. The first set features the Benavides Monument and the Quattromondial. The second set is composed of 4 stamps. The first stamp features the UST Main Building. The second stamp features the Central Seminary. The third stamp features the Arch of the Centuries. The fourth stamp features The Foundation of the University of Santo Tomas by Archbishop Benavides painting by Domingo A. Celis in 1911. It depicts Miguel de Benavides giving instructions for the foundation of an institution of higher learning.

  •  
    Stamps issued to commemorate the quadricentennial celebration of the University of Santo Tomas

Constituent colleges

edit

The 5-centavo and 2-peso Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the Faculty of Pharmacy commemorative stamps were issued in 1971, on the centennial year of their foundation. The stamps feature the shield logos of the two faculties and the UST Main Building's tower.[1]

  •  
    Commemorative stamps for the centennial anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the Faculty of Pharmacy
  •  
    Commemorative stamps for the centennial anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and the Faculty of Pharmacy

The College of Science and College of Education 50th anniversaries were celebrated with 15-centavo and 50-centavo stamps in 1976. Both stamps feature their college logos.

 
 
align="center" caption="UST College of Science and College of Education 50th Anniversary
1976 issue"

UST Graduate School 50th Anniversary of 1988.

The stamps that were released in 2022 for the sesquicentennial anniversary of the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery feature the 1958 History of Medicine mural frescoes of Vicente Manansala found in the lobby of the San Martin de Porres building. The first set includes the murals: St. Cosmas and St. Damian, Jesus Christ forgives and cures the paralytic, and the Founding of the UST Faculty of Medicine & Surgery. The second set includes The first laparotomy in the Philippines and the Miraculous healings at Lourdes, France.[11][12]

Pope John Paul II

edit
  •  
    State visit of Pope John Paul II in the Philippines and the UST campus

The 2011 stamp features Pope John Paul II with the UST Main Building in the background. It depicts the beatification of the pope on May 1, 2011.[13]

  •  
    Beatification of Pope John Paul II featuring the UST Main Building.

Jose Rizal

edit

Jose Rizal was commemorated on his birth centenary in 1961. The 5-centavo stamp depicts the UST and Ateneo de Municipal campuses in Intramuros while Rizal was still a student. The stamp is part of a commemorative set that includes a 6-centavo stamp that features Rizal's birthplace in Calamba, Laguna, a 10-centavo stamp that features his parents Teodora Alonso Realonda and Francisco Rizal Mercado and a 20-centavo stamp that features Rizal with Juan Luna and Félix Resurrección Hidalgo in Madrid, Spain.[14]

In the 1996 7th Asean Int. Philatelic Exhibition (Aseanpex '96), stamps were issued to feature the historical place during Jose Rizal's life. The 4-peso stamp depicts the UST building in Intramuros as part of the historical places during Jose Rizal's life.[15]

  •  
    Historical places in the Philippines attributed to Jose Rizal

Banknote

edit

The Tongues of Fire, the UST Quadricentennial logo is featured as an overprint in the 200-peso note.[16][17][18][19]

Coins

edit

UST Quadricentennial Anniversary of 2011

edit

The UST Alumni Association Inc. released three commemorative medallions made of nickel-brass alloy, silver-plated nickel-brass core, and 24K heavy gold-plated nickel-brass core. The medallion has an early design of the Thomasian Alumni Center on the reverse, and the UST Main Building and the Benavides Statue on the obverse. The design was made by UST College of Architecture and Fine Arts graduate Bayani Rumbaoa. He was the first Filipino to design the coins that were in circulation in the Philippines.

The university also issued two commemorative medals in gold and silver colors. The obverse shows the Miguel Benavides statue, the university name and its honorific titles, and the Latin words fides, spes, caritas (faith, hope, and love). The reverse shows the silhouette of the UST Main Building and the Tongues of Fire logo.[20]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "University of Santo Tomas". Topical Philippines. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "First Local Printing Press - 390th anniv". TouchStamps. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  3. ^ "First Local Printing Press - 390th Anniversary". Colnect. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  4. ^ Zulueta, Lito (April 9, 2024). "UST Library and Archives' 12 Most Important Treasures". Spot.ph. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  5. ^ Aparicio, Angel (December 2009). "The UST Printing Press' Origins" (PDF). Miguel de Benavides Library News in Print. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  6. ^ Lee, Grace (July 2021). "Early Printing in the Philippines". BiblioAsia. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Rodríguez, Rebeca Ferndández (July 10, 2013). "Early writing and printing in the Philippines". History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  8. ^ "Liberation of Uni. of Santo Tomas Internment Camp". Colnect. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  9. ^ "End of World War II - 50th Anniversary". Colnect. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  10. ^ "Santo Tomas University Hospital - 50th Anniversary". Colnect. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  11. ^ "Manila Central Post Office". Topical Philippines. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  12. ^ "Maestro Vicente Manansala exhibit at the UST Museum". The Philippine Star. November 22, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "Postal service issues John Paul II stamps". Union of Catholic Asian News. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  14. ^ "Jose Rizal". Topical Philippines. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  15. ^ "Philippine Historical Places During Rizal's Life". Colnect. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "400th Anniversary of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST)". Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "2011 200 Piso UST 400 Commemorative Banknote". Numismatics Philippines. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  18. ^ "200 Piso Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas". Numista. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  19. ^ "Philippines new 200-peso University of Santo Tomas commemorative note (B1065a) confirmed". BanknoteNews. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "Back on 'Q'". The Varsitarian. May 7, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Santo_Tomas_on_stamps,_banknote_and_coins&oldid=1315057359"