THE BSP Employees Association, Inc. (BSPEAI) donated armchairs 100% made from recycled Philippine polymer banknotes considered “unfit” for circulation as part of its sustainability and community development initiatives.
BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan and BSP Mindanao Regional Office Officer-in-Charge Jason P. Capocao, together with BSPEAI President Brent S. Lucero and Director Eloisa T. Glindro of the Currency Policy and Integrity Department, led the ceremonial turnover of close to a hundred armchairs to Doña Pilar L. Marfori Elementary School in Davao City led by Principal Eloisa Questo on July 22, 2026.
The armchairs were produced under the Banknote-to-Armchair Project, an initiative that transforms unfit polymer banknotes and manufacturing byproducts into durable classroom armchairs through BSPEAI’s partnership with Envirotech Waste Recycling, Inc., a private recycling company.
BSP Deputy Governor Tangonan emphasized that “Polymer banknotes follow a planned lifecycle from circulation to recycling. End-of-life management is built into their design.”
BSPEAI President Lucero said, “The beneficiary school was selected based on an assessment of needs and priorities on the ground.”
The polymer note recycling project furthers the environmental thrust of producing polymer banknotes.
Polymer banknotes are smarter, cleaner, and stronger than paper banknotes. Compared with paper banknotes, fewer polymer banknotes are replaced, reflecting their higher durability and longer lifespan.
From 2022 to May 2026, only 0.02 percent of the 1000-piso polymer banknotes issued to banks by the BSP were returned as worn-out or damaged banknotes. In comparison, 54.75 percent of 1000-piso paper banknotes issued during the same period were returned to the BSP as worn-out and damaged banknotes. To date, the BSP has not received lower denomination unfit polymer banknotes since they were first issued by the BSP in December 2024.
As more polymer banknotes complete their circulation cycle in the coming years, it is increasingly important to adopt sustainable solutions for their proper management, ensuring they do not end up as waste.
The Banknote-to-Armchair Project demonstrates how innovation, sustainability and social responsibility can converge to create meaningful benefits for communities. PR
