BSP confirms release of P500,

P100, P50 polymer banknotes

CORTES, Bohol (PIA)—In case you happen to get hold of some unusual banknotes which appear to be plastic and doubt about them, don’t.

At least for banknotes, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has confirmed its release since February 2025, of a new kind of banknotes which they claimed as smarter, stronger and cleaner P1000, P500, P100 and P50 denominations.

Printed now in polymer, a combination of natural and synthetic substances that make a much stronger bond, the new banknotes can last over 7 times than the normal circulation span of the standard paper money, BSP officials said.

Known as the first Philippine polymer banknote series, this is smarter than the previous paper banknotes as this has sophisticated security features making it tougher for money counterfeiters to fake, says BSP Visayas governor Anna Clara Oville at the Kapihan sa PIA.

Polymer banknotes, being plastic-like, are resistant to dirt, water and oil, making them more practical for use on wet markets and public transport, thus they are stronger.

Its smooth and non-absorptive surface could be easier to clean and in fact, can be sanitized, making the polymer cleaner.

And beyond the usual blue for the P1000, gold for the P500, violet for the P100 and red for the P50, the new plastic-like banknote features hard to fake designs and threatened and endemic Philippine flora and fauna.

For those who have not gotten hold of the polymer P1000 which came out much earlier, the banknote features the Philippine eagle for the fauna, sampaguita for the flora and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and the South Sea pearl with the tinalak indigenous weave design in it, showed BSP Economic and Financial Learning Center chief Gregory Baccay.

The P500 features the Visayan spotted deer, Acanthepippium mantinianum orchid, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National park and the blue-naped parrot, with still another southern Philippine weave, Baccay continued.

The P100 polymer banknote has the Palawan peacock-pheasant for its fauna, Ceratocentron fessilii orchid for its flora, Mayor Volcano and an indigenous Bicolano weave.

For the P50 polymer banknote has the Visayan leopard-cat for its fauna feature, Vida’s lanutan flower, Taal Lake and an intricate Batangas embroidery.

In fact, the new polymer banknote’s smooth surface allows for it to have the opportunity to contain more security features that ordinary people can easily check.

By feeling, looking and tilting the banknote, one can feel the polymer’s smooth substrate, tactile dots that show the value for the visually impaired, or the embossed prints and see the enhanced value panel, clear flora window, two identical asymmetric numbers, shadow thread, vertical clear window and the iridescent figures.

Another security feature is, when one can check the designs come out when the banknote is tilted.

When tilted, the enhanced value panel in P1000 and P500 exhibits a rolling bar effect, the dynamic metallic wavy lines, mirrored denomination, vertical line effects, striking rainbow effect on the BSP logo, the iridescent figures in the four new polymer banknotes.

Hard to copy, tough to beat and more modern in design, the polymer series however are still vulnerable to heat and fire, to tear when somebody nicks the banknote, that Oville urges people to take care of the money so it can live up to its purpose longer. (PIABohol)

NOW YOU KNOW. In case you get hold of an unusual Philippine banknote which is more of plastic-like, it is one of the four new polymer banknotes that the BSP has released side by side with the paper money, opting for the more modern and more security laden notes to keep counterfeiters from copying the new money. (PIABohol)