BORACAY, AKLAN, Philippines — Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initiative to livestream budget hearings at the bicameral level, the Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Henry Aguda, aims to enhance budget transparency by utilizing blockchain technology to store recordings of these hearings.
Aguda stated that this approach would create a decentralized and immutable ledger for any amendments to the proposed 2026 national budget, making it accessible to the public. He emphasized the need for more than just livestreaming on platforms like Facebook, advocating for the integration of blockchain technology.
According to Aguda, this initiative could help eliminate corruption within the budgeting process, aligning with the President’s and lawmakers’ calls for technological solutions to improve transparency in public fund allocation and spending.
Currently, DICT has entered into an agreement with Polygon, a blockchain service provider, which is being offered at no cost to the government through a grant. The grant amount is under negotiation, ranging from $5 million to $10 million.
Aguda reassured that the government would not be locked into a long-term commitment with Polygon, as the agreement allows for potential transitions to other networks. He is also engaging with members of Congress to demonstrate the practical applications of blockchain technology, including a demonstration of the current 2025 budget.
He explained that various government departments would operate their own blockchains, which would be interconnected.
Blockchain serves as a shared database that securely stores and links data, preventing alterations. In Congress, Senator Bam Aquino has introduced Senate Bill No. 1330, which seeks to institutionalize blockchain use in the government’s budget process for enhanced security and public accessibility. Additionally, eight similar bills have been proposed in the lower House.
The concept of using blockchain technology to improve transparency in democratic processes has been previously discussed. Before the 2025 elections, a local tech firm also recommended that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) implement a blockchain-based polling system to address vote manipulation during data transmission.
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