While recognizing the importance of paying homage to three Filipino World War 2 heroes, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno on Monday, Dec. 13, expressed his reservations over replacing their portraits with the Philippine eagle in the new design of the P1,000 banknote.
Diokno, who is running for senator in next year’s polls, said the government should keep the faces of the World War 2 heroes to commemorate them.
The new P1,000 bill will feature the endangered Philippine eagle, replacing World War 2 heroes Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, Brig. Gen. Vicente Lim and Girl Scouts of the Philippines founder Josefa Llanes Escoda who were killed during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines.
This latest design, which will be made with water and dirt-resistant polymer, will be released in April next year.
“I have nothing against putting the Philippine Eagle in our money, but we should be commemorating our heroes,” said Diokno, a former dean of the College of Law of the De La Salle University in Manila.
READ: First look: 1,000-piso polymer banknotes
The veteran lawyer noted the images of the World War 2 heroes in the banknote aimed at remembering their heroism and bravery.
“How would you keep their memories alive if you remove them from our currency? Paano na malalaman ng mga susunod na henerasyon ang ginawa nilang kabayanihan para makamit natin ang kalayaan (How will the future generations know their heroism for us to achieve our freedom)?, he asked.
Diokno said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) should have consulted first the families of the three heroes before redesigning the P1,000 bill.
According to BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, the polymer banknote design was approved by the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines (NHIP) while its issuance was authorized by its monetary board and the the Office of the President.
READ: Why BSP is shifting to polymer banknotes
While there’s still time, the senatorial aspirant said it would be best for the BSP to change the design.
“Sana ginamit na lang ng BSP ang kabilang side ng ating pera para ipasok ang bagong disenyo na kanilang gusto. Naiwasan pa sana ang kontrobersiyang ito (I hope the BSP just used the other side of the bill for the new design that they want. They could have avoided this controversy),” he stressed.