Former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" S. Aquino, Jr. would have been 72 years old today. In both the New Design Series and New Generation Banknote Series versions of the 500-peso bill, Ninoy's face is prominently shown.
The obverse side of the New Design/Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Series 500-peso bill has a pensive Ninoy with his fist touching his chin. It also recalls Aquino's career as a journalist by showing the typewriter on which the initials "B.S.A.J." is embossed. The famous quote, "The Filipino is worth dying for" also appears along with his signature.
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| Obverse side of the 500-peso bill, New Design / Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Series |
Some milestones in Ninoy's career are also highlighted in the reverse side. Aside from being a Manila Times correspondent during the Korean War, he was elected municipal mayor of Concepcion town then governor of Tarlac province. During his tenure as Senator, Aquino was a proponent of the Study Now, Pay Later program for students needing financial assistance. Everyone knows that his assassination was a prime mover of the 1986 People Power Revolution, so a snippet of this event is also shown. .
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| Reverse side of the 500-peso bill, New Design / BSP Series |
The obverse side of the New Generation Banknote Series 500-peso bill apparently features a "happier" Ninoy, being joined by his wife, former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino. It also depicts the Benigno S. Aquino Monument in Makati and crowds participating in the EDSA People Power I in February 1986.
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| Obverse side of the 500-peso bill, New Generation Banknote Series |
The reverse side of the New Generation Banknote Series 500-peso bill shows the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, blue-naped parrot (
Tanygnathus lucionensis), and Southern Philippines cloth design.
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| Reverse side of the 500-peso bill, New Generation Banknote Series |
It is interesting to note that the New Generation Banknote Series 500-peso bill includes the signature of Ninoy and Cory's son, President Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III.
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