Co-Sponsorship Speech on Senate Bill No. 1506 under Committee Report No. 10 CADENA Act

CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH

An Act Mandating the Full Disclosure of Government Transactions Through The Establishment of a Digital Budget Portal to Enhance Transparency, Accountability, and Public Participation in the Philippine Budget Process

“CADENA Act”

Senate Bill No. 1506 under Committee Report No. 10

Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada

November 12, 2025

Mr. President, every Filipino has the right to know where public money goes, how it is spent, and what it is spent for. This is a basic principle of good governance and a foundation of public trust.

For many years, the public has asked for greater transparency and accountability in government spending. While various programs have been introduced to make this possible, the reality remains that many of our citizens still find it difficult to track how funds move from appropriation to actual implementation. Available information is often scattered, delayed, or hard to understand.

The Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act, or CADENA Act, seeks to change that. This measure institutionalizes a single, accessible digital platform that allows every Filipino to see and verify where government funds are being used. It requires all national government agencies and government-owned corporations to upload their budget proposals, appropriations, releases, and disbursements in an open and verifiable system.

The CADENA Portal will serve as a digital window into the entire budget process. Through this portal, anyone can trace government transactions, from the planning and authorization stage, to fund release, procurement, and project completion. Each record will bear a digital signature and timestamp to ensure authenticity and prevent tampering.

By doing this, we move from promises of transparency to a system that guarantees it. Technology will not replace integrity, but it will help protect it.

Mr. President, this measure also creates a National Budget Transparency and Accountability Council composed of key agencies such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Budget and Management, the Commission on Audit, the Department of Finance, and representatives from civil society, the media, and the academe. This ensures that the public remains a direct participant in monitoring how government spends public funds.

While this measure embraces digital innovation, it needs to ensure that its implementation is realistic and in compliance with laws on privacy and cybersecurity.

With the permission of the good sponsor, Senator Bam Aquino, I wish to be one of the co-sponsors of this important measure, which complements our collective efforts to promote integrity, transparency, and good governance in the use of public resources.

Let us support the immediate passage of this measure for a government that is truly open, accountable, and worthy of the people’s trust.

Thank you, Mr. President.