New check design standards and specifications take effect

Checks with the issue data written in alphanumeric format will no longer be accepted starting this month, except for select cases, as part of the New Check Design Standards and Specifications ordered by the Philippine Clearing House Corporation (PCHC).

Under Customer Information Control System (CICS) Operating Memo 21-036 issued by the PCHC in April 2021, the check design standards specify that the dates should follow the month-day-year format (Example: January 24, 2023 should be 01/24/2023) placed in boxes. It should also have the peso sign moved out of the amount in the figures box. The new standard for check should also have the signature in a box.
 

Here's a sample of the new check format for Metrobank:

1: The date is formatted as MM-DD-YYYY and is in a box.

2: Peso sign appears outside the "Amount in Figures" box.

3: The signature field is in a box.

Here's a sample of the new check design for Security Bank:

Under the new standards and specifications, checks should be fully numeric starting May 1, 2024 and those with alphanumeric issue dates were only accepted until Tuesday, April 30.

The new standards and specifications were previously set to be fully implementational on May 1, 2023, but was deferred to this year under an operating memo issued on January 25, 2023. —VAL, GMA Integrated News