Trivia about the International Year of Older Persons (IYOP), World Teachers’ Day (WTD) and World Heritage Site (WHS)

WORLD HERITAGE SITE – Paoay is located on a sandy plain, bounded by San Nicolas, Batac, Badoc and the sea. The blankets woven with hair by the women of Paoay were highly prized. Early documents refer to this town .as Bombay, the name which must have been the basis of the legend which hold that the very remote ancestors of the Paoayanos were settlers who had immigrated all the way from Bombay in India. Originally this town was a settlement located along the shores facing the China Sea. As early as 1593 this town was a Visita of Batac. The council of May 4,1686 made the convent of Paoay an independent house with Fr. Lucas Sanchez named prior Vicar it is believed that on the same year Paoay was founded as an independent parish under the titular patron San Agustin. In 1744, the council hither requested the prior-general to grant the prior of Paoay the right to vote in the provincial meeting in exchange for the vote held formerly by the prior of Bauang. In testimony signed in Paoay on January 14, 1710 Captain Don Lucas Manzano de Ochoa certifies that this church had decorations that no other church in the country could have.

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF OLDER PERSONS – The United Nations Principles of Older Persons was adopted by the UN General Assembly (resolution 46/91) on 16 December 1991. Governments were encouraged to incorporate them into their national programmes whenever possible. Some highlights of the Principles are: Older Persons should have access to adequate food, water, shelter, clothing and health care through the provision of income, family and community support and self-help; have the opportunity to work or to have access to. other income-generating opportunities; be able to participate in determining when and at what pace withdrawal from the labour force takes place, be able to live in environments that are safe and adaptable to personal preferences and changing capacities; be able to reside at home for as long as possible. Older persons should remain integrated in society, participate actively in the formulation and implementation of policies that directly affect their-well-being, and share their knowledge and skills with younger generations; be able to form movements or associations of older persons; have access to health care to help them to maintain or regain the optimum level of physical, mental and emotional well-being and to prevent or delay the onset of illness; and should be able to pursue opportunities for the full development of their potential; Older persons should be able to live in dignity and security and be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse and be treated fairly regardless of age, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability or other status, and be valued independently of their economic contribution. The United Nations has declared 1999 as “International Year of Older Persons” (IYOP) while the nationwide celebration was decreed in Proclamation 1048 by then President Fidel V. Ramos.

WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY – In 1994, the United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed October 5 World Teachers’ Day in order to honour the teaching profession and make the public aware of the value of teachers. More than 100 Members States have officially recognized this UNESCO initiative, which represents a significant token of appreciation to the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development. Education is the single largest wage-sector of employment in the world with about 50 million teachers active in 1998, or nearly 1{1104248511d637c6a51014dcaacb77de829b1de96a4faa7392b7bed9a15aa427} of the world’s total population. In declaring this International Teachers’ Day, we would like to tell the teachers of the world, at the same moment in time, that we are thankful to them for their hard work and dedication and for the heavy responsibilities they bear in educating the children of today to become the citizens of tomorrow.

Stamps and Official First Day Covers will be available starting 24 October 1999 at the Philatelic Division, Money Order Building, Liwasang Bonifacio, 1000 Manila and all Regional Offices of the Philippine Postal Corporation.