Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has firmly expressed his support for the adoption of blockchain technology as a tool to enhance transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service during a recent Senate hearing.
In a position paper delivered before the Senate Committee on Science and Technology on Thursday, Magalong highlighted the urgent need to break the country’s long-standing cycle of corruption, describing it as “structural, systemic, and highly syndicated.”
“The core of our initiative is simple. The entire country has been in the public eye, nationally and globally, in another corruption scandal,” he said.
“And I would like to emphasize the word another. Again and again. Because it reflects how often we find ourselves repeating this painful cycle and how deeply rooted corruption is in our country today. It's structural. It's systemic. It's highly syndicated and well-organized,” he added.
Tagalong stressed that every Filipino deserves government systems that are not only efficient but also inherently trustworthy.
“Trust is the cornerstone of any institution,” Magalong emphasized, citing Baguio City’s commitment to digital governance and participation in the Open Government Partnership (OGP)—a global network promoting transparency and citizen engagement.
Notably, only four local government units in the Philippines have joined the OGP, with Baguio being among the select few.
“It's a global network wherein it follows a basic principle that local government that practices transparency, accountability, and strong citizens' participation are more progressive in terms of growth and development. And that's the reason why us, for Baguio City, we are a member of that. We strive to be a member of that,” he explained.
“We are not afraid. Why? It's transparency. If you're not doing anything wrong, you shouldn't be afraid. And that's why we're pursuing an open government policy,” he added.
Magalong shared the city’s collaboration with Bayani Chain, a blockchain platform designed to strengthen public accountability by providing permanent audit trails and encouraging participatory governance.
“This partnership aims to strengthen public accountability, provide permanent audit trails, and promote participatory governance,” he said.
“We are going live on October 15, just one month after starting the partnership,” he noted, underscoring the rapid pace of implementation.
The mayor explained that the greatest challenge lies not in the technology itself but in the willingness to open data, including critical information such as programs of work, contracts, bidding documents, and technical plans.
“Us, in the city of Baguio, we’re very much willing,” he said.
Blockchain’s ability to ensure permanent traceability and auditability of infrastructure documents and procurement records was cited as a key advantage over traditional systems.
The city is conducting training and knowledge-sharing sessions for its personnel to ensure the technology is people-driven, not just technology-driven.
“As long as it does not violate the Data Privacy Act, we're going to open it. Why blockchain technology? Because it addresses weakness that traditionally systems cannot,” he said.
Magalong also acknowledged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for their early adoption of blockchain since 2024, and expressed support for Senate Bill 1330, which aims to institutionalize blockchain use in government processes.
“These are early steps, but they carry a very strong message,” Magalong said. “Good governance should never be an exception. It should always be a way of life.”
Magalong’s endorsement of blockchain technology aligns with his broader advocacy for open government and systemic reforms aimed at restoring public trust and improving the efficiency of government services nationwide.
“All these efforts show that we're not waiting for the future. These are early steps, but they carry a very strong message. We're beginning to embed blockchain into systems because good governance should never be an exception. It should always be a way of life,” he said.
Senator Bam Aquino, who chairs the Senate panel on Science and Technology, expressed strong enthusiasm for Senate Bill 1330, also known as the Philippine National Budget Blockchain Act.
The bill mandates the establishment of a national blockchain system aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and public participation in the Philippine budget process.
“We’re very excited about this measure,” Aquino said, welcoming various groups and experts who have come forward to support the initiative since its introduction.
At the hearing, Aquino emphasized the urgent need to address the country's “painful cycle” of corruption, which he described as “structural, systemic, and highly syndicated.”
He also underscored that the bill seeks to create a budget process that is easy to understand and accessible to every Filipino, allowing citizens, non-government organizations, and civil society groups to scrutinize government budget allocations.