Senate Backs CADENA Act for Transparent Digital Spending
Philippine lawmakers are urging the Senate to pass Senate Bill No. 1330, known as the Citizens’ Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act, to create a blockchain-ready, digital-first framework for public spending transparency. TraXion Tech CEO Ann Cuisia and a working group of civic organizations and tech experts refined the bill to remove technical jargon, expand coverage to local government units, and emphasize tamper-resistant, outcome-driven digital reporting. Key updates include replacing “ledger” with clearer transparency mechanisms, shifting from “upload” to “publish” to control costs, and implementing phased rollouts based on local capacity. Industry professionals like Vince Vicente praised the focus on real-world implementation over buzzwords, while experts such as Christopher Star highlighted the need for tamper-evident systems rather than “tamper-proof” claims. The bill, set for Senate sponsorship on November 12, 2025, aims to make every peso of national and local public spending traceable online within nine months of enactment. If passed, the first implementation phase would begin in 2026, laying the groundwork for a robust, blockchain-backed accountability system.
Neutral
While the CADENA Act’s endorsement of blockchain for government spending transparency is a positive signal for broader blockchain adoption and public accountability, it has limited direct impact on cryptocurrency price movements. Traders are unlikely to shift capital based on regulatory frameworks targeting public finance rather than specific tokens or trading infrastructure. In the short term, market volatility should remain unaffected. Over the long term, the bill could foster a more favorable regulatory atmosphere for blockchain projects in the Philippines, indirectly supporting blockchain service providers but still leaving major coin prices largely driven by global macro factors rather than local governance reforms.