Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV has called on the administration to restore the CADENA Act to its priority legislation list, questioning why the anti-corruption measure has been pushed down despite having already passed the Senate and amid renewed scrutiny of flood control spending.
Aquino raised the issue during a Development Budget Coordination Committee briefing, where he questioned National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan over the measure’s removal from the government’s top Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priorities.
The CADENA Act, which seeks to use blockchain technology to make government spending more transparent and traceable, ranked third on the 2025 LEDAC priority list. It has since fallen to No. 41 in the updated list, according to Aquino.
The senator said the measure had already secured unanimous Senate approval and was awaiting action in the House of Representatives, where it has been stalled for nearly eight months.
“Nakalagay dyan yung governance and anti-corruption reforms. I would like to ask Sec. Balisacan, parang kulang po ata. Meron pong LEDAC measure na ipasan na po namin dito sa Senado, naisulong na po natin. In 2025 priority measure po ito, in 2026 priority measure pa rin po ito. Parang nawala po ata yung cadena or blockchain the budget bill. What’s the reason why it’s not on this list? Are you not supporting this bill, Secretary?” Aquino said.
Balisacan explained that LEDAC leadership had decided to shorten the priority list and focus on measures that could be enacted within the next 12 months.
Aquino, however, questioned the rationale, noting that several measures on the list had yet to reach the same stage as CADENA.
“Mr. Secretary, marami ho rito wala man hong committee report. Philippine Budgeting Code, may committee report na ba yan? Wala pa. Yung right to information yan, meron na yan. Yung political dynasty nasa interpolation pa lang dito sa Senado. O yung party list pinag-uusapan pa lang natin. It’s very bothersome,” Aquino said.
He said CADENA could provide the public with a way to track government spending, particularly for infrastructure projects that have come under scrutiny following widespread flooding.
The government has allocated about P100 billion for flood control projects in upcoming budget cycles, making transparency in the use of public funds more critical, Aquino said.
The proposed system would use blockchain technology to create a digital record of government transactions and expenditures. Advocates, however, have stressed that technology alone would not prevent corruption and must be supported by competent auditors at the Commission on Audit, stronger procurement safeguards and effective law enforcement.
Aquino also pointed to the disparity between CADENA’s lengthy legislative process and the speed with which other measures had been enacted, including the SIM Registration Act and the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
The senator urged the administration and Congress to push the measure forward, saying its passage could become a lasting reform in government transparency.
“I’m just very I’m bothered. Nawawala po siya dito sa top priority measure natin considering patapos na po siya… It’s only waiting for the Committee on Appropriation for it to be finalized in the House. Konting konti nalang po yan. I hope we can pass this. This can be a legacy of this administration and this Senate and Congress,” Aquino said.
Civil society groups, including the People’s Budget Coalition, have also backed calls to fast track the measure, arguing that government spending should remain visible to taxpayers.
Aquino went further in questioning the resistance to the bill, saying transparency would expose questionable government transactions.
“Clearly some people don’t want to see this passed. Ayaw nilang mapasa to. Ang tanong bakit? Ba’t ayaw mong mapasa ang isang batas na makita nung tao kung saan napupunta yung pera nila. E di buking,” he said.
Balisacan maintained that CADENA had not been abandoned and said he would raise the measure’s status again with executive leadership.
For Aquino, the recurring floods should reinforce the need for reforms aimed at preventing corruption and ensuring that public funds are properly used.
“Every time na baha, every time umuulan, pinapaalala ng Diyos Sa ating lahat, yung kakulangan natin, yung pag nanakawat lahat yan, we have to put an end to it. So how do we do that? Ikulong ang sangkot, ibalik ang pera, bagawin ang sistema,” he said.
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