20 Peso Bill Philippines Commemorative Issues and History

The 20 peso bill in the Philippines has a rich history, with various commemorative issues that reflect the country's significant events and figures.

The first commemorative issue of the 20 peso bill was released in 1993, featuring the image of Jose Rizal.

Over the years, the design of the 20 peso bill has undergone several changes, with each issue highlighting a different aspect of Philippine history and culture.

In 2003, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released a new series of 20 peso bills featuring the country's national heroes, including Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, and Andres Bonifacio.

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The New Design series of the 20 peso bill Philippines was introduced in 1986, with a complete redesign of the note that added new elements regarding Quezon's accomplishments on the right side.

Angel Cacnio designed the banknote, which was released just days after the People Power Revolution on March 3, 1986.

The first 34 million banknotes had the signature of President Ferdinand Marcos, despite being released after the revolution.

In 1993, the creation of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas led to the incorporation of its new logo on all New Design series bills.

The year of printing was added at the bottom of the denomination value on the obverse in 1998.

Later, the names of the signatories on the bills were added, starting with banknotes featuring the signature of President Joseph Estrada.

The New Generation series of the 20 peso bill Philippines was introduced in 2010 and ran until 2024. It featured a revised portrait of Manuel L. Quezon on the obverse.

The Malacañang Palace was moved from the reverse to the bottom center of the obverse in 2010. The Banaue Rice Terraces and the Asian palm civet were added to the reverse.

In 2017, the 20 peso banknote underwent an update with changes to the font size of the year of issue and the italicization of the scientific name on the reverse side. This update aimed to improve the design and functionality of the bill.

The 20 peso note was scheduled to be replaced by a coin in 2020, but it was eventually discontinued in 2024 after the introduction of the First Philippine Polymer Series.

The 20 peso bill has a special place in the Philippines' history, and it's not just because of its everyday use. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has released several commemorative issues to mark significant events.

One notable example is the International Year of Microcredit commemorative bill, which was released in 2004 to mark the start of the United Nations' Year of Microcredit in 2005. This special edition featured an overprint of the official logo and a phrase promoting sustainable microfinance services for Filipino entrepreneurs.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also released a commemorative bill to celebrate 60 years of central banking in 2009. This issue was part of a larger set of banknotes with an overprint commemorating the milestone.

In 2023, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas released a commemorative banknote to mark the 30th anniversary of its establishment. This was the first commemorative banknote under the New Generation Currency series.

The 20 peso bill's design includes a phrase that might be surprising to many Filipinos: "Filipino as the national language 1935." However, this is a misconception. The country has never had a "national language" until 1987.

The 1934-35 Constitutional Convention did discuss language policy, but there's no mention of "Filipino" as a language in any of its three drafts. Instead, the convention aimed to develop a common national language based on one of the existing languages, with English and Spanish as official languages until otherwise provided by law.

Manuel L. Quezon is often referred to as the "Father of the National Language."

The 20-peso banknote features his face, but it's also where the phrase "Filipino as the national language 1935" is printed.

This phrase is misleading, as there was no such thing as a national language called "Filipino" in 1935.

The 1934-35 Constitutional Convention had three drafts, none of which mentioned "Filipino" as a language.

The first draft stated that a common national language would be developed based on one of the existing languages, with English and Spanish continuing as official languages.

The final draft was similar, with no mention of "Filipino" or any national language.

It wasn't until the 1973 Constitution that the idea of "Filipino" as a language was introduced, but even then it was just a provision for its development.

The Japanese occupation in 1943 briefly adopted Tagalog as a national language, but it was still in the process of development and propagation.

The 1987 Constitution is the first to officially recognize a national language, but it's not clear what that language is.

Despite the confusion, the 20-peso banknote is still a valid form of currency.

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The 20-Piso banknote remains legal tender, so you can still use it for day-to-day transactions.

You can use it alongside the 20-Piso NGC coins that were released in December 2019.

The BSP will gradually remove the 20-Piso banknotes from circulation through natural attrition, or when they become unfit for recirculation.

The new 20-Piso NGC coin features Manuel L. Quezon on the obverse side, while the reverse side shows the BSP logo, the Malacañang Palace, and the Nilad plant.

The BSP encourages the public to properly use and recirculate Philippine coins for their economic and cultural value.

You can expect to see the 20-Piso banknotes being phased out over time, but for now, they're still a valid form of payment.