The Philippines has rolled out what officials describe as a global first in public finance management, becoming the first country to record its entire national budget on blockchain technology, beginning with the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Under the initiative, dubbed the Digital Bayanihan Chain, the full budget cycle — from congressional approval and fund release to spending and reporting — has been digitized and placed on a permanent, tamper-resistant ledger.
Each transaction is recorded with a digital verification mechanism that allows it to be checked by the public at any time, even years after it was made.
According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the move is intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in the use of public funds by ensuring that official budget records cannot be altered or erased.
“The blockchain-powered GAA is more than a technological upgrade. It’s a digital guarantee of integrity,” said Henry Aguda, secretary of the DICT.
“It protects the official copy of the budget, prevents manipulation, and ensures long-term traceability of government funds. Transparency is no longer just visible — it’s permanent.”
Aguda said the groundwork for the project was laid last year, when he disclosed during the 8th CXO Technology Summit held at Shangri-La Boracay that the DICT had secured a grant from blockchain firm Polygon to pilot a system that would place the 2026 national budget on the blockchain.
According to Aguda, the pilot project is being implemented at no cost to the government, with the grant from Polygon estimated to be worth between $5 million and $10 million.
“Corruption is a very big issue right now, and blockchain is being pitched as a possible technological solution to our behavioral problems,” Aguda said during the summit. “If we can put the budget on the blockchain, every amendment and every movement will be visible. You can’t erase it.”
The DICT said the system is designed to address long-standing concerns over budget manipulation and record-keeping across political administrations.
Because entries on the blockchain cannot be retroactively changed, records are expected to remain intact even as governments and officials change over time.
For the public, the agency said the platform allows clearer tracking of how funds move from approval to actual spending, enabling citizens, media organizations, and watchdog groups to independently verify budget information.
Officials also expect the system to reduce opportunities for fraud and strengthen public trust by making government financial data verifiable.
