Philippines – Filipinos may soon get a front-row seat to how their tax money is spent. Senator Bam Aquino is pushing the CADENA Act, a measure that would open up government spending records to the public using blockchain technology, at a time when trust in how public funds are handled has taken a heavy hit.
According to a Senate press release, the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act would build a digital record that ordinary citizens can view anytime. The goal is simple: give people a real tool to keep government honest.
What the CADENA Act Would Do
The bill aims to bring hard-to-reach spending data into the open. Under CADENA, the following would be posted in a publicly accessible system:
- Government contracts
- Project costs
- Procurement documents
- Appropriations and other public transactions
By recording this information through blockchain, the data becomes far harder to alter or hide. That means questionable spending can no longer slip quietly past public attention.
Aquino summed up his stand in a short line that has caught on: “(No to) resiliency, (yes to) transparency.” His point is direct. Communities should not just be told to endure poorly built or overpriced projects. They deserve to see where the money went in the first place.
Why the Timing Matters
The push comes as the country deals with a major flood-control scandal that has placed billions of pesos under review. The stakes could not be clearer for families who watched flood projects fail while public funds vanished.
The Ombudsman has filed a plunder complaint and other criminal charges against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. He is accused of unlawfully building up roughly ₱56 billion in ill-gotten wealth between 2022 and 2025 through the diversion and misuse of public money.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla did not mince words. He called it the “grandest case” tied to the flood-control mess and named Romualdez as the mastermind behind the scheme.
Where the Bill Stands Now
The measure has cleared one major hurdle. The Senate approved the CADENA Act on third and final reading with a unanimous 17-0 vote, a strong show of support for reform.
Still, the work is not done. The bill remains pending before the House of Representatives, where it must pass before it can become law.
For Filipinos here and abroad, the message is worth holding onto: transparency is not a favor from government. It is your right, and this bill could help make it real.