Questioned

Document
EXAMINATION
 Topic Learning Outcome

Know the importance of Questioned Document

examination and how it developed and
discovered and understand its legal aspect
DOCUMENT
Any material containing:
- marks,
- symbols, or
- signs either visible, partially visible
- that may present or ultimately convey a meaning to someone, maybe in the form of :
- pencil, -ink writing, -typewriting, or -printing on paper.

plural form, “documents” -deeds, agreements, title, letters, receipts, and other written
instruments used to prove a fact.

 Latin word “documentum”, means “lesson, or example (in Medieval Latin “instruction, or official paper”), OR

 French word “docere”, means to teach.

QUESTIONED DOCUMENT- some issue and under scrutiny.
● authen­ticity,
● identity,
● or origin.

Questioned document examination- close and critical study of

any material that seeks to determine the history of a document by
technical or scientific processes
 TWO CATEGORIES OF DOCUMENT
QuestionedDocument – Document to which an issue has been raised
or which is under scrutiny (critical observation) .The focal point of the
examination and to which the document examiner relies as to the extent of the
problem. (also referred to as disputed document).

(Standard Document – Document in which the origin is known can be proven

and can legally be used as sample to compare with other things is questioned.

Note:
EXEMPLAR. A term used by some document examiners and attorneys to
characterize known material. Standard is the older term.
 Question

If you are the Forensic Examiner which side will you

stand during court presentation?

Answer
None
 CLASSES OF QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS
• Documents with questioned signatures.
• Questioned documents alleged to have been containing
fraudulent alterations.
• Questioned or disputed holographic wills.

• HOLOGRAPHIC WILL - entirely written in the handwriting of the

testator will
• NOTARIAL - signed by the testator acknowledge before a notary
public
WILL with 3 witnesses.
• Documents investigated on the question of typewriting.
• with a view of ascertaining their source
• with a view of ascertaining their date
• with a view of determining whether or not they contain fraudulent
alterations or substituted pages.
• Questioned documents on issues of their age or date.
• Questioned documents on issues of materials used in their
production.
• Documents or writings investigated because it is alleged that
they identify some persons through handwriting.
• anonymous and disputed letters, and
• Superscriptions, registrations and miscellaneous writings.
DOCUMENT AND QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
ADDITION - Any matter made a part of the document after its original preparation may be
referred to as addition.

CONCLUSION - A scientific conclusion results form relating observed facts by logical,

common-sense reasoning in accordance with established rules or laws. The document
examiner's conclusion, in legal term is referred to as "opinion".

DOCUMENT EXAMINER. One who studies scientifically the details and elements of
documents in order to identify their source or to discover other facts concerning them.
Document examiners are often referred to as handwriting identification experts, but
today the work has outgrown this latter title and involves other problems than merely
the examination of handwriting.

ERASURE - The removal of writings, typewriting or printing, from a document is an

erasure. It maybe accomplished by either of two means. A chemical eradication
in
which the writing is removed or bleached by chemical agents (e.g. liquid ink
eradicator); and an abrasive erasure is where the writing is effaced by rubbing with a
rubber eraser or scratching out with a knife or other sharp with implement.
EXAMINATION - It is the act of making a close and critical study of any
material and with questioned documents, it is the process necessary to
discover the facts about them. Various types are undertaken, including
microscopic, visual photographic, chemical, ultra violet and infra-red
examination.

EXPERT WITNESS. A legal term used to describe a witness who by reason

of his special training or experience is permitted to express an opinion
regarding the issue, or a certain aspect of the issue, which is involved in a
court action. His purpose is to interpret technical information in his particular
specialty in order to assist the court in administering justice. The document
examiner testifies in court as an expert witness.

INSERTION OR INTERLINEATION - The term "insertion" and

"interlineations" include the addition of writing and other material between
lines or paragraphs or the addition of whole page to a document.

NON-IDENTITIFICATION (Non-identity) – as used in this text it means that

the source or authorship of the compared questioned and standard
specimens is different.
OBLITERATION - the blotting out or shearing over the writing to
make the original invisible to as an addition.

OPINION. In legal language, it refers to the document

Examiner's conclusion. Actually in Court, he not only expresses an
opinion but demonstrates the reasons for arriving at his opinion.
Throughout this text, opinion and conclusion are used synonymously.

QUALIFICATION. The professional experience, education, and

ability of a document examiner. Before he is permitted to testify as an
expert witness, the court must rule that he is qualified in his field.
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

JOHN LOUD - 1888, patented the first ball point writing tool.

Hungarian inventor brothers LADISLAO and GEORG BIRO -manufactured a pen

with a rolling ball tip in 1938 made from viscous, oil-based ink.

YUKIO HORIE -invented in Japan the first practical fiber tip in 1962.

Indian Inks - The oldest form of Indian ink consisted of a suspension of carbon black
(soot or lampblack) in water to which glue or a vegetable gum was added.

Henry Mill - was an English inventor who patented the first typewriter
in 1714.
 Question

What term which refers to the ability of a person to use

his/her both hands in writing with equal skills?

Answer
Ambidextrous
 Question

What is the term that refers to bad writing? it is actual

bad or wrong not fit to the arts of writing, this applicable
in a highly complex writing like Arabic and Chinese

Answer

Cacography
 Question

What is the term that refers to beautiful writing

following the standard rule of ancient art of
writing

Answer
Calligraphy
 Question

What method of pseudo identification which uses the

manner of writing in identify the characters and personal
traits of a person?

Answer Graphology
 Question

What is the terms that apply or pertains to the

standard of writing specimen?

Answer
Exemplar
 Question

What do you call the art or the technique of

writing with the hand using a writing instrument,
particularly pen.

Answer
Penmanship
 KINDS OF DOCUMENT:
PUBLIC DOCUMENT - notarized by a notary public or competent public official with
solemnities required by law.(Cacnio vs. Baens, 5 Phil. 742)

OFFICIAL DOCUMENT - issued by the government or its agents or its officers having the
authority to do so and the offices, which in accordance with their creation, they are authorized
to issue and be issued in the performance of their duties.

PRIVATE DOCUMENT -executed by a private person without the intervention of a notary

public or of any person legally authorized.(US vs Orera, 11 Phil. 596).

COMMERCIAL DOCUMENT - executed in accordance with the Code of Commerce or

any Mercantile Law, containing disposition of commercial rights or obligations.
Take Note:

A private document may become a public or

official document when it partake the nature of a public or
official record. So if the falsifications committed on such
document that is, when it is already a part of the public
record, falsification of public or official document is
committed. However, if such private document is
intended to become a part of the public record, even though
falsified prior thereto, falsification of a public document is
committed.
WRITINGS WHICH DO NOT CONSTITUTE DOCUMENTS –
based on some Supreme Court Rulings.

A draft of a Municipal payroll which is not yet approved by the proper

authority (People vs. Camacho, 44 Phil. 484).

Mere blank forms of official documents, the spaces of which are not filled
up (People vs. Santiago, CA, 48 O.G. 4558).

Pamphlets or books which do not evidence any disposition or agreement are

not documents but are mere merchandise (People vs. Agnis, 47 Phil. 945).
 SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN QUESTIONED DOCUMENT
EXAMINATION
Analysis (Recognition) - properties or characteristics, observed or measured.

Comparison-Properties or characteristics of the known are compared unknown items.

Evaluation- Similarities or dissimilarities in properties or characteristics will each have

a certain value for identifi­cation, determined by its likelihood of occurrence.

The weight or significance of each must therefore be considered.

 Question

In questioned document examination, it is prohibited any

manner to conclude without thorough scientific
examination. What do you call when a certain examiner
draw conclusion through the use of his naked eye only?

Answer
Off-hand opinion
 Who is a Questioned Document Expert?

A Questioned Document Expert is one who has:

 Attained the appropriate education and training;
 Sufficient knowledge on the technical, scientific, and legal
aspects of document examinations; and
 A broad experience in handling questioned document cases.

OFF-HAND OPINION - is usually a conclusion that is not

based on thorough scientific examination.
 WRITING MATERIALS
ANACHRONISM – It refers to something wrong in time and in place.
This means that the forger has trouble matching the paper, ink, or writing materials to the
exact date it was supposed to have been written.

PAPER – These are sheets of interlaced fibers - usually cellulose fibers from plants, but
sometimes from cloth rags or other fibrous materials, that is formed by pulping the fibers and
causing to felt, or mat, to form a solid surface.

WATERMARK - Certain papers are marked with a translucent design

-impressed in them during the course of their manufacture.

WRITING MATERIALS – Any material used primarily for writing or recording such as
papers, cardboard, board papers, Morocco paper, etc.
 INK

• aviscous fluid marking material or paste

used for marking or writing.
• derived from the Latin encaustum, (name given to the
pigment used for colouring baked tiles)
• Comes to us through the old French word enque.
 PEN
A tool for writing or drawing with a
colored fluid, such as ink; or a writing
instrument used to apply inks to the
paper is a pen. It came from the Latin
word "PENNA", meaning feather.
A. REED PENS/SWAMP REED
It came from especially selected water
grasses found in Egypt, Armenia and
along the shores of the Persian Gulf,
were prepared by leaving them under
dung heaps for several months.
It was the first writing tool that had the
writing end slightly frayed like a brush.
About 2,000 years B.C., this reed pen
was first used in NEAR EAST on
papyrus and later on parchment.
B. QUILL PEN
Although quill pens can be made from the
outer wing feathers of any bird, those of
goose, swan, crow and (later) turkey, were preferred.

The earliest reference (6th century AD) to quill pens was

made by the Spanish Theologian ST. ISIDORE OF SEVILLE,
and this tool was the principal writing
implement for nearly 1300 years.

The writer had to re-cut the quill pen frequently to maintain

its edge.
C. STEEL POINT PENS (BRAZEN PENS)
Although pens of bronze may have been known to
Romans, the earliest mention of "BRAZEN PENS“
was in 1465. The 16th century Spanish
calligrapher JUAN DE YCIAR mentions brass
pens for very large writing in his 1548
writing manual, but the use of metal pens
did not become widespread until the early part of
the 19th century.

The first patented steel pen point was made by

the English engineer BRYAN DONKIN in 1803.
The leading 19th century English pen
manufacturers were WILLIAM JOSEPH GILLOT,
WILLAM MITCHELL AND JAMES STEPHEN
PERRY
 D. FOUNTAIN PENS
In 1884, LEWIS WATERMAN, a New
York insurance agent, patented the first
practical FOUNTAIN PEN containing its
own ink reservoir. Waterman invented a
mechanism that fed ink to the pen point
by capillary action, allowing ink to flow
evenly while writing.

By the 1920's, the fountain pen

was the chief writing instrument
in the west and remained so until
the introduction of the ball point pen after
WORLD WAR II.
E. BALL POINT PEN:

JOHN LOUD, in 1888, patented the first ball point writing

tool. A ball pointpen has in its point a small rotating metal
ball that continually inks itself as it turns. The ball is set
into a tiny socket. In the center of the socket is a hole that
feeds ink to the socket froma long tube (reservoir)
inside the pen. As early as the 19th century, attempts had
been made to manufacture a pen with a rolling ball
tip, but not until 1938 did Hungarian inventor brothers
LADISLAO and GEORG BIRO invent a viscous, oil-
based ink that could be used with sucha pen. Hence,
they are attributed for the invention ofthe first practical
ballpoint pen.
F. FIBER TIP PENS -
In 1963, fiber tip markers were
introduced into the U.S. market and
have since challenged the ball point as
the principal writing implement.
The first practical fiber tip pen
was invented by YUKIO HORIE of
Japan in 1962. It was ideally suited to
the strokes of Japanese writing, which
is traditionally done with a pointed ink Unlike its predecessors, the fiber
brush. tip pen uses dye as a writing fluid. As a
result,
. the fiber tip pen can produce a
wide range of colors unavailable in ball
point and fountain pen inks. The tip is
made of fine nylon or other synthetic
fibers drawn to a point and fastened to
the barrel of the pen. Dye is fed to the point by
elaborate capillary mechanism.
G. Felt-tip markers are made of
dense natural or artificial fibers
impregnated with a dye. These
markers can be cut to a variety of
shapes and sizes, some up to an inch
in width. A modification of the ball
point pen using a liquid dye fed to a
metal/plastic ball was introduced in
the U.S. from Japan in 1973.
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of Paper
PAPYRUS - This came into use about 3,500 B.C. - people of Egypt.
Palestine, Syria, and Southern Europe used the pith (soft spongy tissue of the
stem) of the sedge (grass-like herb) CYPERUS PAPYRUS to make a
writing material known as PAPYRUS.
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of Paper
PARCHMENT - writing material made from skin of animals primarily of sheep,
calves or goats
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT of Paper
VELLUM - writing materials from fine skins from young calves or kids and the term
(name) was often used for all kind of parchment manuscripts,
it became the most important writing material for bookmaking, while
parchment continued for special manuscripts.
 DEVELOPMENT OF PAPER MANUFACTURING
CAI LUN (TSAI LUN)- invention of paper is generally attributed to a Chinese court official,, in
about A.D. 105.

1495 -first paper mill in England

1690 -The first such mill in America

Nicholas Louis Robert (1798) -The first practical machine was made by the French inventor

Henry Fourdrinier and Sealy Fourdrinier –the British stationers brothers improved the Robert’s
Machine in 1803 and produced the first machines that bear their name.
 Question

The art of determining character disposition and amplitude

of a person from the study of handwriting
Answer

Graphology
 HANDWRITING IDENTIFICATION AND EXAMINATION
HANDWRITING - defined handwriting as “visible speech.”

Handwriting/Writing- is the result of a very complicated series of acts, being as a whole a

combination of certain forms, which are the very visible result of mental and muscular
habits, acquired by long, continued, painstaking effort.

- is a visible effect of bodily movements, which is an almost unconscious expression of

certain ideas associated with script form.

KINDS OF WRITINGS:
 Cursive – connected; writing in which one letter is joined to the next.
 Script – separated or printed writing.
 BLOCK – all CAPITAL LETTERS.
 Terms involved in
the Study of HANDWRITING

System of Writing- is the combination of basic design of letters and writing movements as
taught in school.

Natural Writing- executed normally without any attempt to control or alters.

Disguised writing- is a way of writing in which the writer deliberately tries to alters his usual
writing habits in the hope of hiding identity.

Hand lettering- is any disconnected style of writing in which the letters are written separately

Signature- is one’s name written by himself on a document as a sign of acknowledgement.

 Handwriting Theory

Handwriting is just as unique as your fingerprints.

Difference between fingerprint and handwriting

 Fingerprints are permanent and do not change
 Handwriting is a learning process and lends itself to change as
a normal process

42
 Question

Handwriting is unique as fingerprint, but do handwriting

exactly the same in any manner or circumstances?
Answer

No
 Question

What part of the brain the responsible for making a stroke

or writing?

Answer

Cortex
 Question

What is the group of muscles responsible for making

upper or upward stroke

Answer

Extensor
 Question

How about the group of muscles, which opposite of the

work of extensor?

Answer

Flexor
 Question

If extensor muscles is upward stroke and flexor is

downward stroke, what do you call when these muscles
are combine and making lateral strokes?

Answer
Lumbrical muscles
 Question

It is the special way in which the various muscle

used in writing work together to produce writing
work together to produce writing form.

Answer MOTOR COORDINATION

 Physiological Basis of Handwriting

The impulse to form a letter begin in the cortex (control vision, hearing,
talking and walking:

Group of Muscles:
 Extensor Muscles- pushes up the pen to form the upward strokes
 Flexor Muscles- pushes the pen to form the downward strokes
 Lumbrical Muscles- combination of the two which responsible to form
the lateral strokes.

Agraphia- diseased pertain to one loses the ability to write

 CHARACTERISTICS
1. Class Characteristics- are common to a group.

2. Individual Characteristics- -highly personal and peculiar and are unlikely

to occur in other instances
 Baseline Strokes
Alignment  Retracing
 Skill Level  Height  Pen Lifts  Spelling/
 Slant  “I” Dot  Speed Spacing
 Form  “t” Crossing  Embellishmen  Format
 Movement  Loops ts  Case
 Proportions  Pressure  Entry/Exit
 Skill level

The way a writing looks.

Important characteristic of identification or non-identification.
High skill level VS Low skill level

High Skill Level Low Skill Level

51
 Question

From the writing characteristics, what is the characteristics

which is symmetrical of individual letter and this one of
the hidden features of writing characteristics that even the
writer itself unable to recognize?
Answer

Proportion
 Question

What writing characteristics that pertains to interruption of

writing stroke due to defective writing instrument or
speedy writing
Answer

Hiatus
 Question

What is the interruption of writing to due lifting the pen

intentionally from the paper?
Answer

Penlift
 Recognition of writing characteristics
Form – refers to the shape or design of the individual letters. In connection with the
factor of form, the following points should be taken into consideration

Slope or Slant – It is an angle inclination of the axis of letters relative to the baseline.

There are three classes:

Slant to the left; Slant to the right; and Vertical Slant.

-Deliberately alteration of slope will affect rhythm and fluency in writing.

Size –somewhat divergent under varying condition and may have but little significance
when applied to only one example, or to a small quantity of writing like a signature
unless the divergence is very pronounced.

Proportion – generally it refers to the symmetry of individual letter. The comparative

relation between letters and parts of letter.
-Proportion of letters is one of the hidden features of writing. It is unknown
even to the writer.

If the writing is genuine the average height of a letter remains constant relative
to that of other letter even if the size of writing is changed.
Ratio- the relation between the tall and short letters
-for the purpose of comparison, letters of the alphabet are divided into two
groups namely;
 Letters written entirely between the lines are referred to as short.
Ex. a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w and x
 Letters with upper or lower loops or other projected portions will be classed as tall.
Ex. b, d, f, g, h, j, l, p, t, y and z
Connecting Strokes – refers to the connecting strokes to other letter
the fusion of the terminal stroke of one lowercase cursive letter and the initial stroke of
another.

 Classified as:

Circular Angular Elliptical

Pen Lift- it is an interruption in a stroke caused by removing the pen from the paper.
 It has little significant value, because it governed several conditions:
 Slow and carefully executed writing will exhibit many pen lifts
 Rapid writing will exhibit no pen lift

Hiatus- is a gap between strokes due to speed

in writing and defective writing instruments.
Lateral Spacing- is considered as a common characteristic when it conforms to the ordinary copy-book-
form.
 Wide spacing or cramping of letters maybe regarded as personal characteristics.
 Spacing of words is often a feature in handwriting.
 It remains constant even when handwriting is disguised or written in limited spaces.
Shading- it is the widening of the ink strokes with increase pressure on the paper surface. It
is due to the splitting of the pen-nib resulting in the widening of the ink lines as controlled by
the variation in the pen pressure.
Forger who is unfamiliar with the manner and
manipulation of the pen by another person will
have difficulty in imitating the exact portion of
shading and may result to retouching .

Line Quality- refers to the visible record in the written stroke of the basic movement and
manner of holding the writing instrument.
 It is derived from a combination of factors including writing skill, speed rhythm, freedom of
movement, shading, and pen position.

Strong, Heavy and Forceful Smooth, Flowing and Rapid Hesitation and Painful
Alignment- is the relation of the parts of the whole line of writing or line of
individual letters in words or signature to the baseline.

Rhythm – It is the balanced quality of movements of the harmonious

recurrence of stress or impulse. It is the flowing succession of motion that is
recorded in a written record.
Pen pressure- it is the average force in which the pen makes contact with the
paper or the usual force involved in writing.

Tremor- means “deviations from uniform strokes due to lack of smoothness

perfectly apparent even without magnification”.
Rubric or embellishment- refers to additional unnecessary strokes not
necessary to legibility of letterforms or writing but incorporated in
writings but incorporated in writing for decorative or ornamental purposes.

This serves as “security” to make a

signature more difficult to
imitate or forge.
 Question

What is the description of letter that needs additional

stroke or element to complete the letter?
Answer

Diacritic
 Question

What is the description of letter pertain to capital letter?

Answer

Majuscule
 Common Terms and Description of Letters

Beard – a rudimentary curved initial strokes ex. L, F, G, Y

Blunt Ending or Beginning – blunt ending and initial strokes are results of the drawing process in forgery

Buckle Knot- the horizontal and looped strokes that are often used to complete such letters ex.

Buckle, c, f, h, k, z
Central Part of the Body- the part of a letter ordinarily formed by a small
circle that usually lies on the line of writing
b, d, g, p

o, b, e, w
Eye loop or eyelet – the small loop formed by strokes that extend in
divergent direction.

p, j, g
Foot of the letter or Oval - lower portion of any down stroke which
terminates on the baseline

Diacritic – an element added to complete certain letters ex i, t

Hook – the bend, crook or curve on the inner side of the bottom loop or curve of small letter.

Hump- the rounded outside of the bend, crook, or curve in small letters.
h, m, n, e,
Majuscule - a capital letter.

h, m, n,
k
Minuscule - a small letter.

Spur- short, horizontal beginning strokes

Whirl – the upward strokes usually on letters that have long loops

l,
Retrace or Retracing – a stroke that goes back over another writing
stroke

Retouching or Patching – a stroke that goes back to repair a

defective portion of writing.

Stroke Structure – a series of line and curves to form a letter.

CHARACTERISTICS IN WRITING
 Question

What is the class of handwriting standard

produced by the subject after evidential writings have
come into dispute?

Answer:
Post Litem Mortam
Standards /Exemplars- They are known writings which indicate how a person
writes.
Three classes of handwriting standards
 Collected exemplars –
 Request Exemplars
 Post Litem Mortam Exemplars –
writings produced by the subject
after evidential writings have come into dispute and
solely for the purpose of establishing his contentions.
Source of Standards:
-Files -Workplace -Previous employments
SIGNATURE

is a name of person written by himself on a document as a sign of

acknowledgement.
It is a combination of rather limited letters and designs but due to its frequent
use, it becomes almost automatic with many writers.

Two personal style of signature

• Conventional Signature – ordinary copy book form wherein the letters are
legible;
• Highly Individualized Signature –series of intertwining strokes,
ornamentations and flourishes.

74
Three Classes of Signature

• Formal Signature – a complete, correct signature for an important

document such as a will.
• Informal Signature – cursory signature for routine documents and
personal correspondence.
■ 1. Personalized
■ 2. Semi-personalized

• Careless Scribble – a receipt signature that are hastily written under

adverse writing conditions to acknowledge delivery of parcel, registered
mail, or merchandise.
 Forged Signature

– is the signature of another person, or a fictitious

person, written by a person who has no authority to
do so, with intent to defraud.
 Question

What is the class of forgery, where the forger does not

try to copy a model but writes something resembling a
signature?

Answer:
Spurious Forgery or
Simple Forgery
 FORGERY
• Is anact of simulating or tracing somebody’s
signature without the latter’s consent for profit.
 Classes of Forged Signature

SIMPLE FORGERY (spurious forgery) – forger does not try to copy a model but writes
something resembling what we ordinarily call a signature.

SIMULATED OR FREEHAND IMITATION FORGERY – executed purely by simulation

rather than by tracing the outline of a genuine signature .

a. Simulated with the model before the forger

Direct technique –works directly with ink.
Indirect technique –work first with pencil and afterwards cover the pencil
with ink

b. Simulated freehand forgery – used by forgers who have certain skill in writing.
TRACED SIGNATURE – a tracing of genuine signature outline such as
 direct tracing, by means of transmitted light
 indirect tracing, through a carbon paper

Types of traced signatures:

1. carbon process-
2. indentation process-
3. transmitted light process

Forgery by means of stamped facsimile of a genuine signature or model.

 Question

What is the characteristics of a typewriter that has 10

letters per inch?
Answer

PICA
 Characteristics of Typewriter

a. PICA – characterized by 10 letters per inch

b. ELITE – characterized by 12 letters per inch

c. Teletype – characterized by 6 letters per inch

d. Special Typewriter – characterized by 14 to 16 letters per inch

 PHILIPPINE BANKNOTES
• The New Generation Currency was printed by Oberthur
Technologies, which won the bidding for currency printing for all
denominations held among six participants.
• One of the requirements for NGC printing was for the
banknote
security paper to carry the BSP-specified paper-based
security features
• These NGC security features were selected on the basis of
their
machine readability and adaptability to recent innovations
in currency processing and automated tellering machines.
• The new features of the NGC notes were designed such
that
ordinary cash handlers can easily recognize the authenticity of each
 PHILIPPINE BANKNOTES
The NGC design can be aptly described in four (4) Filipino adjectives:
Matibay (strong).
Our currency contains Philippine abaca, which is known for
its strength and versatility.
This is a reflection of the resilience of our economy amidst challenges.
Makulay (colorful).
The vibrant colors in our banknotes symbolize the colorful history of our nation.
They also mirror the happy and fun-loving Filipino disposition even when faced with
adversities.
Maganda (beautiful).
Our country is beautiful, epitomized by the featured natural wonders.
For all their beauty and bounty, our country’s natural resources are worth preserving
as these are our refuge against hunger, calamity, and boredom.
Malinis (clean)
Each NGC note was given hygienic treatment that makes it hostile to the growth of E. coli
bacteria and aspergillus niger fungus.
 BANKNOTE SECURITY FEATURES

For greater protection, the New Generation Currency notes were provided with four layers of security
features:
Level I:
Security features which can be easily recognized by the public without the use of
special instruments.
These are the “look,” “feel,” and “tilt” elements in the notes:
Embossed prints
The embossed or raised print nature of the ink deposition combined with the quality
of cotton-based paper gives the traditional banknote a unique tactile effect that
makes it the first and the most important line of defense against counterfeiting.
This can be felt over the words “REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS,” denominational
value in text, signatures, and value panels particularly, the one located at the lower
right corner of the obverse.
A symmetric Serial Number
Alphanumeric characters at the lower left and upper right
corners of the note bearing one or two prefix letters and six to
seven digits, with font increasing in size and thickness.
Security Fibers
Visible red and blue fibers embedded on the paper and
randomly scattered on the face and back of the note.
Watermark
Shadow image of the portrait with the highlighted
denominational value that is particularly seen against the light
from either side of the blank space on the note.
See-Through Mark:
The pre-Hispanic script (Baybayin) at the lower right corner of the face of the note
slightly above the value panel.
This is seen in complete form only when the note is viewed against the light. This
script means “PILIPINO.”
Concealed Value:
The denominational value superimposed at the smaller version
portrait at the
upper left portion of the note.
This becomes clearly visible when the note is rotated 45 degrees
and slightly
tilted.
Security Thread (Embedded or Windowed):
Embedded thread that runs vertically across the width of 20- and 50- piso notes when
viewed against the light.
Also, the stitch-like metallic thread on the 100-, 200-, 500- and 1000-piso notes which
changes color from red to green and bears the cleartext of “BSP” and the
denominational value on the obverse and “BSP” on the reverse, both in repeated series.
Optically Variable Device (OVD) Patch:
Found only in 500- and 1000-piso notes, this patch is a reflective
foil, bearing the image of the Blue-naped parrot for 500-piso/clam with
South Sea pearl for 1000-piso, changes color from red to green when
the note is rotated 90 degrees.
Optically Variable Ink (OVI):
Found only in the 1000-piso note, this embossed
denominational value at the lower right corner of the face of the note
changes color from green to blue when viewed at different angle
Level II:
Security features recognizable by professional cash
handlers/bank tellers with the use of magnifying lens or
ultraviolet light.
Examples are fluorescent features and microprinting.
Level III:
Hidden or covert security features that are reserved for the use
of the BSP.
Level IV:
Forensic security features which require special laboratory
examination procedures and equipment for identification; most
relevant in establishing the authenticity of a banknote in the
course of any court proceedings.