Bridging the Gap
Early postal services in Iloilo
The postal services in the Philippines started as early as the 17th century when the Spanish colonizers established their lines of communication between Manila and Europe via the Acapulco galleon. Exchange of letters and communication at that time was limited only to government officials and other prominent individuals. Mail matters were carried by badageros (forerunners of the present-day postmen) free of charge. Each day, two badageros were assigned to carry mails from the capital city/town to adjacent towns. No known envelops were used yet in those early times. Letters, communications and documents were just folded up with the addresses written on the outside surface.
By a royal decree of January 12, 1853, which was promulgated by the Governor-General on December 7, 1853 in the Philippines, the first postal rates prepaid postage of mail matters within the country was established and led to the issuance of the very first postage stamps. (Panay News, Nov. 13-15, 1989)
The existence of the Philippine Postal Service (PSO) as a separate government agency can be traced back to the early years of the American colonial administration when the first regular post office was opened. The PSO was established on November 15, 1902 by Act No. 462 of the US Philippine Commission in which the agency head was called the Director of Posts. This designation was later changed to Postmaster General on July 1, 1958. (Ibid.)
In Iloilo, the Iloilo Post Office started its operation sometime in 1903 in an old camarin in the waterfront but was later on transferred to the Custom House Building. Mail matters from Manila, the United States and other foreign countries were regularly received at the Port of Iloilo. Thus, the frequency of mail in Iloilo by this time was greatly dependent on the number of vessels coming in and going out of the Port. (David 1937)
Aside from facilitating the circulation of personal, business and official correspondences, the Iloilo Post Office also delivered money orders to and from other places in the country at such an early time as 1919. A money order of P100.00 cost P0.40, while P200.00 was charged P0.64 (Ang Makinaugalingon, Oktubre 15, 1919)
Aside from the stamps sold within the Iloilo City proper, some were also available at certain stores or establishments in the suburbs such as the Perocaril Station in La Paz and the La Panayana in Mandurriao. The price of stamps in these places was the same as that in Calle Real or J.M. Basa Street today. (Ang Makinaugalingon, Mayo 21, 1919)
As facilities for communication between the different islands of the archipelago had improved greatly in the years that followed, the number of post offices in the Iloilo Province had also increased. In the 1930s, all municipalities of Iloilo already had post offices with free delivery mail service.
The sending off of mail matters had standard postage rates on the basis of destination, class specifications on weight, and size limit. As of 1937, the postage rate for first class regular mail consisting of letters, typewritten copies, and manuscripts not accompanied by printed proof sheets, was P0.02 for each 20 grams. Postcards and private mailing cards were sent at P0.02 each. A second class regular mail consisting of newspapers, periodicals, and regular publications entered as second class mail matter at post offices or in the U.S. Addressed to bonafide subscribers. Sample copies not exceeding 10% of the number sent to such subscribers was charged P0.05 for each kilo with a prescribed size of 1 meter and 80 centimeters, length and girth combined. Third class regular mails not included in the above classes were charged P0.02 for each 60 grams, not exceeding 600 grams in weight. (David 1937)
One very significant development in air transportation greatly enhanced Iloilo's postal services in terms of speed in mail circulation. This was the birth of the Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (INAEC) in 1932 and the inauguration of its Iloilo-Manila service the following year. Subsequently, the Iloilo Post Office introduced and airmail service to hasten the regular system of mail delivery. Requiring higher fees than the regular mail, airmail service charged P0.18 per 20 grams of first class mail, P0.70 for each kilogram of second class mail and P0.40 centavos for every ½ kilogram of third class mail. (Ibid)