MANILA - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is willing to put the portrait of the late President Corazon Aquino on the P500 bill.

This came after Wednesday's outpouring of public support for the former president and even a resolution filed in Congress to declare her a national hero.

The P500 bill currently has the face of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., the husband of the late president. Former Energy Secretary Vince Perez proposed to honor the former president by placing her portrait on the P500 bill together with her husband.

BSP governor Amando Tetangco told reporters, "I have asked the numismatic committee to consider the proposal to put up the portrait of former President Aquino on the P500 bill in designing our new-generation currency notes.

The numismatic committee is composed of central bank officials led by BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo. The committee also includes Ambeth Ocampo of the National Historical Commission and Jimmy Laya, a former BSP governor.

Tetangco said the move to print the portrait of President Aquino on the P500 bill will be part of its efforts to redesign most of the existing peso bills.

Last month, the BSP announced that peso notes were being redesigned.

Several designs featuring the Aquino couple next to each other on the bill have been circulating on the internet since the former president passed away last Saturday.