University of the Philippines economics professor Cielo Magno has questioned the purpose of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) mandatory QR-coded Registration Seal Badge, arguing that the requirement adds administrative burdens without clear evidence that it would improve tax compliance or revenue collection.
Senators Bam Aquino and Pia Cayetano have called on the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to address data privacy concerns raised by online sellers and digital content creators over its registration seal badge requirement ahead of the Oct. 31, 2026 compliance deadline.
Sen. Bam Aquino has questioned why the proposed Cadena Act, which would put government budget information on blockchain, was left out of the shortened list of priority measures under governance and anti-corruption reforms.
Sen. Bam Aquino has rejected calls for an outright ban on video games for minors following the fatal school shooting in Zamboanga City, saying the government should instead tighten the enforcement of age restrictions on mature-rated games and restrict minors’ access to harmful online chat groups.
Sen. Bam Aquino has urged the House of Representatives to pass the CADENA Act, a proposed budget transparency law, following deadly flooding that renewed questions over the government’s use of billions of pesos for flood-control projects.
Government officials, lawmakers, regulators, and technology executives have expressed support for the wider adoption of blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) during the opening forum of Philippine Blockchain Week 2026.
Sen. Bam Aquino has opposed a proposed Department Administrative Order (DAO) by the Department of Trade and Industry that would require businesses — including online sellers — to secure permits before publishing advertisements and sales promotions.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said a recent interruption affecting parts of the eGovPH app was caused by a spike in user activity that strained system capacity, even as officials acknowledged funding issues raised in a Senate hearing.
Sen. Bam Aquino highlighted the industry’s economic weight, noting that IT-BPM employs around 1.9 million Filipinos and contributes about 8.2% to the country’s gross domestic product.
Sen. Bam Aquino noted the measure represents the next stage of his earlier “Blockchain the Budget” proposal, refined to integrate advanced digital infrastructure for transparency.
