Bam Aquino Questions Malacañang Delay on Cadena Anti-Corruption Bill

As floods continue to affect parts of Central Luzon and Metro Manila, Senator Bam Aquino questioned Malacañang’s delay in advancing a proposed law intended to strengthen public oversight of government spending and help prevent corruption in infrastructure projects.

During a Senate budget briefing, Aquino asked Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan why the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act, or CADENA Act, was removed from Malacañang’s list of priority measures.

Also known as the Blockchain the Budget Bill, the measure seeks to make detailed government budget and procurement records publicly accessible, traceable, and resistant to tampering.

Aquino said the CADENA Act ranked third among priority measures in 2025 but had fallen to 41st on the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s list.

“Meron pong LEDAC measure na naipasa na po namin dito sa Senado na isulong 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,” Aquino said.

“What’s the reason why it’s not on this list? Are you not supporting this bill, Secretary?” he asked Balisacan.

Balisacan explained that Malacañang and congressional leaders shortened the priority list to focus on key legislative measures that could be passed within 12 months.

Aquino questioned the explanation, pointing out that the CADENA Act had already passed the Senate and cleared the committee level in the House of Representatives.

What the CADENA Act Requires

Under the proposed law, government agencies would be required to upload and regularly update detailed budget-related records on a Digital Budget Platform.

These documents would include:

• Government contracts
• Project costs
• Bills of materials
• Procurement records
• Contractor information
• Prices of construction materials

The platform is intended to make government spending records publicly accessible, open-source, traceable, verifiable, and protected against unauthorized changes.

Officials who fail to disclose required records or upload fraudulent information could face administrative and criminal penalties.

“This bill, which will put the budget on blockchain, pati ’yung mga contractor, pati ’yung presyo ng semento, ng pako, at lahat-lahat, napag-usapan na po natin from 2025 na mahalaga po ito,” Aquino said.

“I want to understand: Why is it not in the priority measure of the DBCC?” he added.

Transparency Amid Flood-Control Concerns

Aquino said the government should consider calls from sectors supporting the immediate passage of the measure, especially while concerns over alleged irregularities in flood-control projects remain a national issue.

“Alam ho natin lahat how powerful this bill can be. Napakarami na pong grupo ’yung nagsabi na nais nilang makitang pasado ang batas na ito, from inside the government, outside the government,” Aquino said.

“Nagtataka po ako, bakit parang hindi natin ’to minamadali? Nung kasagsagan nung flood-control scandal, we all agreed we would push for this and push for full transparency,” he added.

Aquino said passing the CADENA Act under the Marcos administration could leave a lasting legacy of greater transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.