FIN 121 RESEARCH

Safety Features of Philippine Peso Bills and Coins

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

[CJ P. REYES]
[Bachelor of Science in Management Accounting 2nd Year]
The New Generation Currency (NGC) banknotes of our country feature some interesting security features never before
seen in previous Philippine paper money in circulation. I would like to share these security features in this post. I am
quoting from a publication by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas entitled, The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ New Generation
Currency Notes: Safeguarding the Integrity of the Philippine Currency by Maja Gratia L. Malic & Nenette E. Malabrigo.
This details the new security features of the new banknotes that help consumers identify counterfeit bills from the real
deal.
What follows is quoted from the publication.

For greater protection, the NGC notes were provided with four layers of security features:
Level I : Security features which can be easily recognized by the public without use of special instrument. These are the
“look, feel, tilt” elements in the notes such as watermark, security thread, security fibers, and others.
Level II: Security features recognizable by professional cash handlers/bank tellers with the use of magnifying lens or
ultraviolet light. Examples are fluorophosporescent features, security fibers, and microprinting.

Level III: The hidden or covert security features

reserved for the use of the Bangko Sentral.
Level IV: Forensic security features for the use of law enforcers in testifying whether a banknote is genuine or counterfeit.
These are detectable at specialized laboratories.
The publication goes further to detail Level I security features for public knowledge. Some of the Level II security
features can be seen, but Levels III and IV are not for public use.
Level I: Security features which can be easily recognized by the public without the use of special instrument. These are
the “look,” “feel,” and “tilt” elements in the notes, enumerated below.
1. Embossed prints: The embossed or raised print nature of the ink deposition combined with the quality of cotton-based
paper gives the traditional banknote a unique tactile effect that makes it the first and the most important line of defense
against counterfeiting. This can be felt over the words “REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS,” denominational value in text,
signatures, and value panels particularly, the one located at the lower right corner of the obverse.

2. Asymmetric Serial Number: Alphanumeric characters at the lower left and upper right corners of the note bearing one
or two prefix letters and six to seven digits, with font increasing in size and thickness.

3. Security Fibers: Visible red and blue fibers embedded on the paper and randomly scattered on the face and back of the
note.
4. Watermark: Shadow image of the portrait with the highlighted denominational value that is particularly seen against the
light from either side of the blank space on the note.

5. See-Through Mark: The pre-Hispanic script (Baybayin) at the lower right corner of the face of the note slightly above
the value panel. This is seen in complete form only when the note is viewed against the light. This script means
“PILIPINO.”

6. Concealed Value: The denominational value superimposed at the smaller version portrait at the upper left portion of the
note. This becomes clearly visible when the note is rotated 45 degrees and slightly tilted.
7. Security Thread (Embedded or Windowed): Embedded thread that runs vertically across the width of 20- and 50- piso
notes when viewed against the light. Also, the stitch-like metallic thread on the 100-, 200-, 500- and 1000-piso notes
which changes color from red to green and bears the cleartext of “BSP” and the denominational value on the obverse and
“BSP” on the reverse, both in repeated series.
8. Optically Variable Device (OVD) Patch: Found only in 500- and 1000-piso notes, this patch is a reflective foil, bearing
the image of the Blue-naped parrot for 500-piso/clam with South Sea pearl for 1000-piso, changes color from red to green
when the note is rotated 90 degrees.
*Incorporated on the OVD patch is a logo of BSP that also changes color when viewed from different angles, the
denomination at the upper right and bottom center, the text BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS on the upper left of the
oval, and a micro print right below the clam or parrot.

9. Optically Variable Ink (OVI): Found only in the

1000-piso note, this embossed denominational
value at the lower right corner of the face of the note changes color from green to blue when viewed at different angles.
Security Featurs

On 26 March 2018, the BSP released the New Generation Currency (NGC) Coin Series comprised of the 10-Piso, 5-Piso,
1-Piso, 25-Sentimo, 5-Sentimo and the 1-Sentimo into circulation.
These NGC coins feature three national heroes (Apolinario Mabini in the 10-Piso, Andres Bonifacio in the 5-Piso and
Jose Rizal in the 1-Piso), a stylized three stars and a sun in the 25-, 5- and 1-Sentimo, the BSP logo, and endemic flora
consistent with the design of the NGC Banknote Series that highlights Philippine fauna.
The NGC Coin Series and the BSP Coin-Ed Campaign were among the top three finalists in the Best New Circulating
Coins and Best Public Education Program categories, respectively, awarded by the International Association of Currency
Affairs (IACA) during the Excellence in Currency 2019 Coin Awards at the biennial Coin Conference in Rome, Italy on
15 October 2019.
On 17 December 2019, the BSP released the new 20-Piso NGC coin and the enhanced 5-Piso NGC coin with nine sides
which are the latest to be circulated under the BSP’s NGC Coin Series. The bi-color 20-Piso coin retains major elements
of the 20-piso banknote. The obverse side of the coin features Manuel L. Quezon, while the reverse side shows the BSP
logo, the Malacañan Palace, and the Nilad plant.
The NGC Coin Series design features enhanced the aesthetics and security of the coins. In particular, micro-printed details
using laser-engraving technology were included in the 20-Piso, 10-Piso and 5-Piso, which makes it difficult for these
coins to be duplicated using traditional coin counterfeiting methods. The metallic composition of the NGC coins also
discourages the illegal practice of hoarding large quantities of coins for the extraction of their metal content.
The new 20-Piso and enhanced 5-Piso NGC coins shall co-exist as legal tender with the currently-circulating 20-Piso
NGC banknotes and round 5-Piso NGC coins, which will be removed from circulation through natural attrition.
References
Malabrigo, M. G. (2016, January 21). Philippine Banknotes: New Generation Currency Security Features. Retrieved from
https://sinsilyonimike.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/philippine-banknotes-new-generation-currency-security-
features/

References
Malabrigo, M. G. (2016, January 21). Philippine Banknotes: New Generation Currency Security Features. Retrieved from
https://sinsilyonimike.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/philippine-banknotes-new-generation-currency-security-
features/

PILIPINAS, B. S. (n.d.). New Generation Currency Coin Series. Retrieved from https://www.bsp.gov.ph/:
https://www.bsp.gov.ph/SitePages/Default.aspx