The central bank of the Philippines advised Filipinos to use the “feel-look-tilt” method to ensure the authenticity of the new P1,000 polymer banknote.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) began the circulation of these banknotes in April 2022 despite garnering mixed reactions for its design and features. The P1,000 bill has since been used alongside the current banknote of the same amount for transactions.
Amid the shopping holiday frenzy, the BSP advised Filipinos to be vigilant about fake money, citing the use of the “feel-look-tilt” method.
An infographic showing the instructions for this technique was also uploaded on Facebook.
“This holiday season, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reminds the public to be vigilant against fake money. Use the ‘Feel-Look-Tilt’ method to check the authenticity of your banknotes when making or receiving payments,” BSP said.
In the post, the BSP listed the features of the P1,000 bill that Filipinos should “feel, look and tilt” at when receiving it. They are:
- Tactile dots
- Sampaguita clear window design on one side
- Enhanced value panel
- Texture of the polymer substrate – it is described as “one continuous sheet with transparent areas”
- Embossed prints
- Shadow thread of the 5-mm vertical band seen on either side of the bill when viewed against the light
- Serial numbers
- Vertical clear window
- Metallic features – they include the wave lines on the front face of the banknote, the seal of the Republic of the Philippines and the BSP logo
BSP initially released 10 million pieces of the P1,000 polymer-made banknote in April of last year.
By 2023, the next batch comprising 490 million pieces of polymer bills worth P1,000 were deployed in circulation alongside the current design.
The controversy of this new banknote stemmed from the image of the Philippine eagle replacing Filipino martyrs on its front side.
The local heroes replaced are:
- Jose Abad Santos
- Josefa Llanes Escoda
- Vicente Lim
READ: Netizens weigh in on P1,000 bill design with Philippine Eagle in place of Filipino martyrs
Reports about some retailers rejecting folded, creased and stapled P1,000 polymer bills also surfaced, thus leading to more Filipinos disapproving its use in the market.
BSP quickly addressed these incidents, saying that folding and creasing do not decrease the bill’s legal tender power.
READ: Discouraged, but legal: BSP’s rules on stapled P1,000 polymer bills | Explainer: Here’s when your banknote can be considered unfit for currency