POSTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE POSTAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE POSTAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA

The postal administration of the Republic of the Philippines, represented in this Agreement by the Postmaster General, Bureau of Posts and the postal administration of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, represented herein by its Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary accredited to the Republic of the Philippines, desiring to promote cooperation in the sphere of postal service, have agreed as follows:

1. The postal administrations of the Republic of the Philippines and of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta shall undertake to carry to destination within their respective areas of jurisdiction letters originating from one administration destined to the other and franked with the postage stamps of the respective administration.
2. In the execution of this Agreement and in their relations with one another and with any other postal administration affected by this undertaking, the postal administrations of the Republic of the Philippines and of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta shall abide and be guided by such laws and regulations as are in force in their respective areas of jurisdiction, and by the provisions of the Constitution, Convention, Acts, Regulations and Additional Protocols of the Universal Postal Union which have already been or will be acceded to by each or either of the two Administrations.
3. The postal administration of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta shall forward mail to the Philippines under its complete responsibility and in compliance with Italian legislation relating to conveyance of correspondence over Italian territory.
4. Letters originating from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta destined for the Republic of the Philippines shall be prepared in the following manner:

   1. Stamps of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta shall be cancelled on transmission with the date mark showing the date of transmission and the words “POST MAGISTRALI”. On the first days of issue, the cancellation mark may show the words “PRIMO GIORNO D’EMISSIONE” and the emblem of the Order.
   2. Every letter franked and cancelled as in paragraph “a”, above, shall be enclosed in a red envelope which shall be addressed as follows:
      

      The Postmaster General
      Bureau of Posts
      Manila 2801
      PHILIPPINES
      On its top left corner, the envelope will bear the words “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA”. Such envelope shall be sealed and be franked with Italian postage stamps.

5. The postal administration of the Republic of the Philippines will open the red envelope mentioned in paragraph “b”, above, and will undertake to deliver the contained letter to destination in the Philippines.
    
6. The postal administration of the Republic of the Philippines will not undertake to return undeliverable letters, nor will it be responsible for the loss of, theft from, or damage to letters, and no indemnity will be paid on that account.
7. This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the two postal administrations.
8. This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of notification by both Parties after having completed their own legal formalities.
9. This Agreement will remain in force until terminated at any time by mutual consent of the two postal administrations, or until six (6) months after either Party had notified the other of its intention to terminate this Agreement.

This Agreement was signed on 12 December 1979, in Manila, Philippines, and was executed in duplicate in each of the English and Italian languages. The texts in English and Italian are equally valid.

  

(Sgd.) FELIZARDO R. TANABE Postmaster General For the Bureau of Posts of the Republic of the Philippines

(Sgd.) JOSE M. SORIANO Ambassador

Entry into Force: March 4, 1980