The history of Philippine mail and postage stamps covers the development of postal services in the Republic of the Philippines, a country in Southeast Asia consisting of many islands located in the Pacific Ocean, with its capital in Manila. The Philippines has been a member of the Universal Postal Union since 1922. The first postage stamps were issued on February 1, 1854 and came in four denominations: 5 quarts, 10 quarts, 1 real and 2 real. The stamps depicted the profile of the Spanish Queen Isabella II.