MANILA, Philippines — The new secretary of the Department of Budget and Management, Kim Robert De Leon, holds a Guinness record for having the biggest collection of pope stamps.
De Leon, the youngest member of the Marcos Cabinet, made headlines as a philatelist in 2024.
He was named in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the largest collection of papal stamps. He has 2,398 stamps featuring popes. The record was made official on February 22, 2024.
Earlier reports stated that De Leon started his collection of stamps and covers after purchasing a Pope Francis First Day Cover from the Philippine Postal Corporation, or PHLPost, shortly after the Papal Visit in 2015.
“Kim Robert De Leon begun collecting stamps as a hobby and has a keen interest in Popes specifically due to the fact he is an active member in a Ministry. The bulk of his stamp collection is of Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis who have both visited his home country of the Philippines,” the Guinness online entry stated.
“The counting for the evidence took place inside a Parish and was overseen by the priest. The event coincided with the 41st anniversary of the first visit of Pope John Paul II and the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, the first Pope,” it added.