BSP turns worn-out polymer bills into armchairs for Davao school

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Employees Association (BSPEAI) has donated nearly 100 armchairs made entirely from recycled polymer banknotes deemed unfit for circulation, as part of its sustainability and community development initiatives.

The armchairs, produced under the Banknote-to-Armchair Project in partnership with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc., were donated to Doña Pilar L. Marfori Elementary School in Davao City on July 22, 2026. The school is headed by Principal Eloisa Questo.

“Polymer banknotes follow a planned lifecycle from circulation to recycling. End-of-life management is built into their design,” BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan said in an emailed statement.

“The beneficiary school was selected based on an assessment of needs and priorities on the ground,” BSPEAI President Brent Lucero said.

The BSP first unveiled the P1,000 polymer banknote in December 2021 and released it to the public in April 2022. Polymer versions of other denominations were unveiled in 2024.

The worn-out polymer banknotes are shredded and processed into recycled plastic material, which is then molded into parts used to make the armchairs. The process gives banknotes that can no longer be circulated a new use instead of sending them to waste.

The central bank has maintained that polymer banknotes are “smarter, cleaner, and stronger” than paper banknotes, citing their greater durability and longer lifespan, which means fewer notes need to be replaced.

BSP data showed that from 2022 to May 2026, only 0.02% of the P1,000 polymer banknotes issued to banks were returned as worn out or damaged, compared with 54.75% of P1,000 paper banknotes.

“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 BSP said. — MCG, GMA News