...Philippines - Full Set of Five Notes all dated 2020

Republika ng Pilipinas

(Republic of The Philippines)

Bango Sentral ng Pilipinas

(Central Bank of The Philippines)

Currency - Piso (PHP)

 

Listed below is a full set of five notes all printed with the year date of 2020. These are New Generation Currency (NGC) banknotes introduced on 29.07.2020. Basically, these are all reprints with additional added security features, and to assist with people who are suffering from visually impaired. The added features are:-

 

1) Security Threads, called Windowed Security Thread (WST). The designs on each threads are not the same. These thread shows movements of designs and colour when the notes are viewed at a difference angles. The thread features indigenous weave design and these designs are called - Indigenous textile design handcrafted from the Bicol region (100 piso); Indigenous textile design handcrafted from the Visayas region (200 piso); Weave design from southern Philippines (500 piso); and T'nalak weave design (1000 piso). The width of the WST are all same at 4mm, and for the 1000 piso, the width is wider by 1mm to 5mm. The 50 piso does not have this WST feature;

 

2) The Optically Variable Ink (OVI) on the 1000 denominational value at the lower right corner on the front of the note changes colour from green to magenta when the note is viewed from a difference angles. For the 500 piso, a mark with stylised Philippines flag design changes colour from gold to green;

 

3) Tactile marks are added to assist with those with visually impaired to identify the denomination of the notes. These are horizontal bars (in a form of an equal sign or bars) printed on the left and right-hand sides of the edges of the notes. The bars are only printed on the front only but not on the back; and

4) Both the 500 and 1000 piso values notes are printed with a rolling-bar effect when the note is stilted from left to right and vise versa.

 

This series of notes were first introduced on 16.12.2010. Unlike the 2010 issues, the 20 piso denomination has been discontinued, and is now been replaced by a 20 piso coin since December 2019. The 20 piso banknote was the most circulated banknotes in the country and as such prone to wear and tear and as such need to be replaced more often. Having the 20 piso in a form of a coin is more cost-efficient than having it printed in paper in the long run.

As per those 2010 issued, the main designs on all the five notes are the same but with extra features added to the original designs as mentioned above. The theme for this series of notes is basically related to iconic figures on the front, and Philippines natural wonders and native fauna on the back.

All notes are printed with the year date of 2020, however, for the 500 piso note, it is printed with the year date of 2020F. Also, by looking at the serial numbers, the 100 and 500 piso notes are the most popular denominations circulating as both notes are printed with a double letter prefixes. All notes are printed with a 6-digit serial number. The notes are also printed with the Coat of Arms of the Philippines, and the Central Bank logo, with the signatures of the two President/Governor respectively printed below. Since 20.11.2020, the central bank (BSP) logo has changed but some of the newer reprinted notes are still showing the old logo. The main feature of the old and new logos both depict the image of the Philippines eagle. The difference between the two is that the new logo is showing in full size eagle, with both its wings fully stretched out. The three stars is now sitting on top of the eagle. The background colour of the new logo is in blue, and the colour of the eagle, stars and the name of the bank are all in gold.

 

Signatures

President - Rodrigo Roa Duterte (tenure 2016-30.06.2022)

Governor - Benjamin Estoista Diokno (tenure 2019-2022)

Fifty Piso

Sergio Osmena Sr (b.1878-1961)

Front - Sergio Osmena Sr (b.1878-1961), the fourth president of the Philippines from 1944 to 1948. Prior to that, he was the vice president serving under Mauel Luis Quezon y Molina. On the background, it depicts the First National Assembly seating in 1907. On the left of Sergio Osmena Sr is the scene of General Douglas McArthur (1880-1964) landing at Leyte in October 1944. Leyte island is situated just north of the right-hand side of the southern main island of Mindanao. General McArthur was forced to evacuate the Philippines in March 1942, following the invasion and defeated by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second World War.

 

Back - Outline map of the Philippines, two Maliputo (giant trevally fish) swimming along. The background is the scene of the Taal Lake, which is located on the northern main island of Luzon. The Taal lake is the country third largest lake.

Dimensions - 161.5mm x 66mm

 

Two Maliputo (giant trevally fish) swimming along, Taal Lake

One Hundred Piso

Manuel Acuna Roxas (b.1892-1948)

Front - Manuel Acuna Roxas (b.1892-1948) was the fifth Philippines president, serving from 1946 to 1948, and died in office following a heart attack on 15.04.1948. He was 56 years old. Before that, he was the Governor of Capiz and a Senator of the Philippines. On his left id the image of the Philippines's central bank building in 1949 and to his right was the scene of the Inauguration of the Third Republic of the Philippines on 04.07.1946.

 

Back - Outline map of the Philippines, Mayon volcano which is located on the southeast of Luzon Island. This volcano has a perfect inverted shape of a cone and is also the most active volcano in the country. In the center is a whale shark swimming along, and it has been claimed that there are just under 2000 whale sharks in the Philippines, thus making it the second largest known wale shark population in the world, after Mexico. Many of these creatures can be found around the water of Cebu. 

Dimensions - 161.5mm x 66mm

 

Mayon volcano, whale shark

Two Hundred Piso

Diosdado Pangan Macapagal (b.1910-1997)

Front - Diosdado Pangan Macapagal (b.1910-1997) was the 9th President of the Philippines serving from 1961 to 1965. Prior to that, he was the vice president from 1957 to 1961. He was succeeded by President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr (b.1917-1989), who went on and served as the president from 1965 to 1986. Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the father of the 14th president of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, served as president from 2001 to 2010. To his left is the scene of the Declaration of Independence from the Spanish by Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (b.1869-1964 - First President of the Philippines from 1899 to 1901) on 12.06.1898 in Cavite el Viejo (Kawit, Cavite), and below that is the scene EDSA People Power on 11.01.2001. To his right is the scene of Opening of Malolos congress at Barasoain Church on 15.09.1898. 

Back - Outline map of the Philippines, Bohol Chocolate hills on the island of Bohol. The island of Bohol is located to the north of Mindanao island. An insect eating creature called the Philippines tarsier resting onto a tree branch. Most of the tarsier creatures are founded on the island of Bohol. 

Dimensions - 161.5mm x 67mm

Bohol Chocolate hills on the island of Bohol, tarsier

Five Hundred Piso

President Maria Corazon Cory Aquino (b.1933-2009) and Senator Benigno Ninoy Simeon Aquino Jr (b.1932-1983)

Front - This note honored the Philippines most famous couple of its modern history of the country, President Maria Corazon Cory Aquino (b.1933-2009) and her husband the late Senator Benigno Ninoy Simeon Aquino Jr (b.1932-21.08.1983). Corazon Aquino became the President of the Philippines in 1986 after the then President Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr called for a snap election and lost. Because of the unpopularity of the Marcos, he was forced to flee to the United States. Before 1983, Senator Benigno Ninoy Simeon Aquino Jr was a strong critic of Ferdinand Marcos and was imprisoned by the president in 1972 for seven years. In 1980 following two heart attacks, he went to the United States for surgery instead of having it done in the Philippines as he distrusted the medical services offered by the Marcos government. In 1983, he returned to the Philippines and was assassinated at the airport while walking down the stairs from the China Airlines plane. He was shot in the head before he even reached the tarmac of Manila International Airport. This airport has since been renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor. His only son, Benigno Simeon lll (b.1960-2021) became the country's 15th President from 2010 to 2016. To the left of the smiling couple is a scene of the EDSA People Power revolution took place on 01.02.1986, protesting against Ferdinand Marcos's rule, which eventually brought down his government, despite claiming that he had won the election. To the right of the couple is a monument statue of Benigno Aquino Jr.

 

Back - Outline map of the Philippines. A blue-naped parrot resting on a tree branch and on the background is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park situated on the island of Palawan. 

Dimensions - 161mm x 67mm

A blue-naped parrot resting on a tree branch, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

 

One Thousand Piso

Jose Basco Abad Santos (b.1886-1942), Vicente Podico Lim (b.1888-1944), and Josefa Madamba Llanes Escoda (b.1898-1945)

Front - This note honored three famous Filipinos, namely Jose Basco Abad Santos (b.1886-1942), who was the acting president of the Philippines from 17.03.1942 to 01.05.1942; Vicente Podico Lim (b.1888-1944), a Brigadier General and a World War ll hero of the Philippines; and Josefa Madamba Llanes Escoda (b.1898-1945), a civic and social leader. All three were captured and executed by the Imperial Japanese Army when they were occupying the Philippines between 1942 to 1945. To their left is the scene of 1998 Centennial of Philippines independence celebration.

 

Back - Outline map of the Philippines. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, is a UNESCO World Site and is situated between the main island of Mindanao and the island of Palawan. The design features a scene of a coral reef with various fishes. In the center is a turtle swimming and below that is a South Sea Pearl oyster. The outline maps of the Philippine is on the left which also marked the Tubbataha reefs located.

 

Dimensions - 161mm x 67mm

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, turtle swimming, a South Seal Pearl oyster

Footnote:

Now, this is now getting a bit interesting. Do you think the current Philippines President would have any say in the designing of new banknotes in the country? As at 30.06.2022, the president of the Philippines is Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr (b.1957). Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr is the only son of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. In the Philippines, it was widely believed that the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr was ordered by the then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1983, but then blamed it on a lone gun man, Rolando Galman, who was then shot immediately after the assassination by the army at the airport. 

 

I am aware that the Central Bank has issued new 1000 piso polymer notes on trail run on 18.04.2022, and if the trial run was successful, I am sure new notes will be issued in polymer substrate too, I hope. Now if that is the case, do you think the authority will retain the portraits of the Aquino couple, like the one printed on the 500 piso note? The father of the current president was deposed by the Aquino in 1986, would the son's signature will be printed on a banknote with the images of the Aquino? Given that the new 1000 piso design on the front had changed, chances are they will have new designs for the rest of the series too. However, new issue of banknotes can take up to a year or more to design and manufacture. If a reprint is required for the current 500 piso notes, do you think they will print them? Judging by those past issues, the 500 piso seems to have the same popularity like all other notes, except the 200 piso. Hmmm... this is interesting and time will tell!