LEADERSHIP: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last night won the banknote industry's highest honour: Best New Banknote Series of the Year 2025, awarded by the International Association of Currency Affairs (IACA) at this year's Currency Conference, currently being staged in Bangkok, Thailand. The award was given for the 500 Piso, 100 Piso amd 50 Piso that was issued in December 2024, and officially launched by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Governor Eli M. Remalona Jr. that same month.
The award was presented to Assistant Governor Mary Anne P. Lim who has supported and ultimately championed the case for polymer banknotes for the Philippines from the outset of initial discussions with NPA in 2019. Back then, Ms. Lim was Director of Banknotes and Securities Production Management and since that time her rise through the central bank to Assistant Governor has enabled her to directly manage the transition BSP is making from paper to polymer banknotes.
Reaching the Summit: Global recognition for BSP's three most recently issued notes, all of which were printed at NPA, is highly significant for the central bank as it provides strong evidence of the successful steps and decisions they have taken in moving to polymer banknotes. Photo courtesy of Andy Kucher.
The 1000 Piso, which was issued in April 2022, also received significant recognition when it was named the International Banknote Society's Best Banknote of the Year 2022.
In his message to the Assistant Governor Lim and her team, our CEO Malcolm McDowell wrote "Fantastic news from the Currency Conference – congratulations to you and your teams for a brilliant banknote series, appropriately recognised. I hope all at BSP are extremely proud of your achievement."