# Philippine Lawmakers Renew Push to Advance Blockchain Budget Bill

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/40743
Published: 2026-10-26T01:55:23.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-26T01:55:23.000Z
Section: Regulation

> The Senate passed the CADENA Act unanimously in December 2025, but the measure remains pending in a House committee.

Sen. Bam Aquino and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima are pressing the Philippine House of Representatives to advance the CADENA Act, a proposal to track government spending on an immutable ledger. Their appeals came as Congress deliberates the proposed 2027 national budget.

The Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act would let citizens inspect line-item transactions in national government expenditures. Aquino has argued that public oversight should continue after lawmakers approve appropriations, allowing people to follow how agencies disburse public money.

The Senate passed Senate Bill No. 1506 unanimously on third and final reading in December 2025. De Lima later filed a similar measure in the House to mirror the Senate-approved version and avoid delays from reconciling different bills. The measure remains pending in a House committee.

House progress has slowed as lawmakers work to combine multiple blockchain-related proposals into one substitute bill. The CADENA Act previously received backing from Malacañang and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council. Aquino had questioned why it lost priority status on the council’s agenda.

Aquino said public access to individual spending records could make it harder for officials to hide irregularities. “It is the right of every Filipino to know where their hard-earned taxes go,” he said.

De Lima argued that unalterable accounting is important to ensure emergency reserves reach front-line operations during disasters and climate threats. She urged lawmakers, “Do not let it stall: enact the CADENA Act.”