A great-grandniece of one of the three figures in the 1,000 peso bill which will be replaced with the Philippine Eagle next year has started an online petition to make the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas reconsider its decision.

Desiree Ann Benipayo, a descendant of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, began a petition at Change.org which they titled ''No to removing our World War II heroes from the 1000-peso bill!''

The Philippine Eagle will replace the images of Abad Santos, Brig. General Vicente Lim and Josefa Llanes Escoda. All three were imprisoned by Japanese authorities during World War II. Their bodies were never found.

The petitioners said the image of the Philippine Eagle could be placed at the back of bill.

''If it is true that you want to feature Philippine flora and fauna, then update all the bills by putting these at the back, but please do not remove our heroes,'' the petitioners said.

At least 1,414 persons have signed the petition as of posting time.

The central bank last Saturday said the 1,000-peso banknote, with the Philippine Eagle displayed, will be in circulation starting April 2022.

Mike Villa-Real, executive vice president of the Veterans Foundation of the Philippines Sons and Daughters told dzBB that their group is ''appealing to the BSP to retain the original design.''

''We hope that these symbols of our history will not just slowly fade away'' added Villa-Real. DMS