[LIVE] Aquino Leads Senate Hearing on Blockchain The Budget Bill

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by Shiela Bertillo, Nath Cajuday, and Michael Mislos

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and principal author of Senate Bill No. 1330 or the “Blockchain the Budget Bill,” presided over a public hearing on Thursday, October 2, 2025, to discuss the proposal to place the national budget on blockchain.

Blockchain Bill Hearing – Who Are in Attendance?

BitPinas is confirming that the following industry personnel are present in the Senate hearing, either in attendance or as resource persons:

• Donald Lim (Dito CME): Founding Member, Blockchain Council of the Philippines
• Ida Tiongson: Founding Member, Blockchain Council of the Philippines
• Mark Gorricetta (Goricetta Law Firm): Founding Member, Blockchain Council of the Philippines
• Jiro Reyes: Bitskwela, Blockchain Council of the Philippines
• Benjamin Magalong: Mayor of Baguio, which recently adopted using blockchain for its LGU
• Henry Aguda: Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)
• Benjamin Magalong, Mayor of Baguio City
• Kenneth Abante, WeSolve Foundation
• Sen. Robin Padilla (expressing statement of support)
• Atty. Daniel Fordan
• Atty. Third Bagro, Twala
• Gelo Wong, Bayanichain

Latest Updates

Aquino, Resource Persons Now in Senate Hall

Aquino and the other resource persons are arriving at the Senate Hall.

There are entities that are expected to have presentations during the hearing:

• Bitskwela
• Twala
• BayaniChain
• Philippine Association of Fintech Lawyers

Baguio Mayor Testifies: Blockchain as Help for Transparency, Fight Against Corruption

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong shared that the introduction of blockchain to the LGU will aid their fight for transparency.

“Corruption is a cottage industry” he said, adding that it would help them in their investigations about the corruption in the city.

In September 2025, Baguio City announced that it will pilot “GoodGovChain,” a blockchain-powered governance platform built on BayaniChain’s Digital Public Asset Framework.

Read More: https://bitpinas.com/regulation/baguio-goodgovchain/

BayaniChain Confirms Where Baguio Blockchain Project Budget Came From

BayaniChain Co-Founder and CGO Gelo Wong confirmed that the blockchain integration on the Baguio City LGU is “piggy-backed” on the blockchain budget by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

It is expected to go live on October 15, 2025.

In July 2025, DBM officially launched its blockchain-based platform, making key budget documents publicly accessible and verifiable via the Polygon blockchain.

Read more: https://bitpinas.com/business/budget-blockchain-ph/

Twala: Corruption is Harder with Blockchain

Presentation of Twala. Sen. Robinhood Padilla also joined the hearing.

“A future where Filipinos do not have to wonder where the budget went because they can see it in real time and one place,” the resource speaker said.

“This does not mean that corruption will disappear overnight, it does mean it becomes harder and harder to hide.”

Twala is a next-generation e-signature platform that allows users to sign legally binding documents online, such as contracts and agreements, using their smartphones or laptops.

DICT: Blockchain Use Can Eliminate Corruption

DICT Sec. Henry Aguda’s presentation emphasized that a blockchain-using government can bring empowerment, quality services, and faster services to its citizens, which can form trust to the government.

Aguda also shared that they are already using stablecoins to track peso trails in banks.

Meanwhile, Aquino asked Aguda if the secretary can ask President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make the Blockchain the Budget bill urgent.

Aguda said YES.

He also gave Padilla a book where he is one of the authors, “Opening the Archipelago.”

WeSolve Foundation President Kenneth Abante asked the need for blockchain if public documents are easily accessible by the general public.

Aguda clarified that the documents are public documents, but they have fees.

Abante seconded this, citing that upon talking to the Rappler journalist that did the exposé on Zaldy Co, the media publication spent 30,000 to procure the documents.

PH Blockchain Council Expresses Support for Blockchain the Budget Bill

LOOK: The Blockchain Council of the Philippines formally issued a statement of support for the Blockchain the Budget bill.

Looking Forward

If the bill is passed by the end of the year, Aquino said that they could do things progressively (in phases), “so hopefully, the Filipino people can see the result by 2026.”

Blockchain The Budget Bill – What You Need To Know

Formally titled the Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act, Senate Bill No. 1330 seeks to establish a National Budget Blockchain System to improve transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in the budget process.

Key provisions include:

• Blockchain-based Budget System – All national budget transactions, from preparation and legislation to disbursement and audit, will be recorded on a blockchain ledger as Digital Public Assets (DPAs).
• Public Access – A real-time, public-facing portal will allow citizens and oversight bodies to track funds from appropriations in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) down to individual projects and beneficiaries.
• Smart Contracts – Automated fund releases can be triggered once milestones and compliance requirements are verified.
• System Features – The system must ensure immutability, decentralization, traceability, interoperability, and strong cybersecurity safeguards.
• Implementing Agencies – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will lead implementation, in coordination with the DBM and Commission on Audit (COA). All government agencies will be required to integrate their financial systems into the blockchain.
• Funding – An initial appropriation of ₱500 million from the National Treasury will support development, infrastructure, and training, with future funding included in the annual budget.

This article is published on BitPinas: [LIVE] Aquino Leads Senate Hearing on Blockchain The Budget Bill

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