More than ₱275 million worth of infrastructure contracts are now part of Baguio City’s blockchain-backed public records system, giving government officials, auditors and residents a new way to examine how public projects are documented, funded and implemented.
The city launched Katibayan, a public records system developed with BYC Ventures (BayaniChain Tech Inc.).
As of September, the platform contains 246 city ordinances and 106 infrastructure contracts dated from 2021 to 2026, with a combined contract value of ₱275,557,149.66. More government documents are expected to be added as the city continues its archiving process.
Katibayan uses blockchain technology to create a permanent, time-stamped, and tamper-evident record of government documents.
It also uses artificial intelligence to help officials and citizens examine large amounts of information and identify records or projects that may require further review.
The system is the next stage of Baguio’s blockchain transparency initiative, following GoodGovChain, which the city piloted with BYC Ventures in 2025.
While the earlier platform focused on securing and verifying government records, Katibayan expands the idea by making those records searchable and useful for analysis.
What is Katibayan?
Katibayan is a digital public-records system designed to make government information easier to preserve, access, and verify. Its name reflects its purpose: providing a digital form of evidence that can remain available when government documents are later reviewed or questioned.
The platform operates on Lumen, BYC Ventures’ operating system for verifiable information. Its artificial intelligence uses Google Gemini, while Amazon Web Services provides its cloud infrastructure.
The blockchain component is important because it creates a time-stamped record of information after it has been uploaded. However, it does not automatically prove that the original information was accurate.
Government departments remain responsible for preparing, approving, and uploading their documents. The technology provider supplies the system but does not become the author or approving authority of government records.
This distinction also applies to the platform’s artificial intelligence. AI can compare documents and highlight possible discrepancies, but it does not serve as the final authority on whether a project or document is valid.
One possible application is comparing contracts, programs of work, and other project records. Instead of examining documents separately, officials and auditors can use a searchable system to identify differences that may deserve closer investigation.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the technology could help investigators identify possible problems without relying on complaints or testimony.
“When I was an investigator in the Philippine National Police, most of the time you could only detect an anomaly in a project if someone reported it, if someone spoke up, if someone testified,” Magalong said.
“Now that we have evolved from the original blockchain to Katibayan, we can use artificial intelligence to detect potentially anomalous projects. It will help investigators and auditors fast-track their investigations. It is not the only solution to corruption, but it is one of the solutions.”
Katibayan is intended to make government information easier for residents to access. Users can ask plain-language questions about government decisions, spending, and projects rather than searching through separate records manually.
How Katibayan Supports Transparency Calls
Katibayan is not intended to replace existing accountability mechanisms. Instead, it is expected to complement systems such as the Project Reporting and Integrated Supervision Management (PRISM) platform, which allows the public to monitor city-funded infrastructure projects.
PRISM provides information on project implementation, while Katibayan focuses on preserving government documents as permanent digital records that can later be verified and analyzed.
This creates the possibility of connecting information that may otherwise remain in separate government offices. Officials, auditors, journalists, and citizens can potentially compare contracts, project documents, and other records in one searchable environment.
BYC Ventures Chief Growth Officer Gelo Wong said the volume of information already recorded provides a foundation for broader analysis.
“With over ₱275 million in infrastructure contracts now on the blockchain, Baguio can put AI to work on records it knows are intact,” Wong said.
The city also expects the system to support greater public participation. Residents may access available records, examine information about projects, and provide feedback or complaints concerning documents or projects they review.
For city officials and technology partners, the larger objective is to preserve information beyond a single administration. A permanent digital record can provide a reference point when government decisions, contracts, or projects are reviewed years later.
What is the CADENA Act?
The Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act, or CADENA Act, is a proposed national transparency measure associated with Senator Bam Aquino.
The CADENA Act is relevant to Baguio because the city’s Katibayan system demonstrates how blockchain-backed records can be used at the local government level. Magalong previously presented Baguio’s blockchain initiative during Senate discussions involving the proposed legislation.
“Senator Bam’s CADENA Act is good because it will mandate all agencies in the government to upload and use blockchain technology,” Magalong said.
While Katibayan is a city-level initiative, the CADENA Act represents a proposed national approach to making government records and expenditures more accessible and traceable.
Building a Longer Record of Government
Katibayan’s development depicts Baguio’s focused shift toward open data and technology-assisted governance. The city and its technology partner are moving toward a longer-term arrangement intended to support continued development and the addition of more government records.
Paul Soliman, CEO and Co-Founder of BYC Ventures, said the system is intended to preserve government evidence for the long term.
“In the long term, Katibayan is about preserving evidentiary data, creating digital records that can endure beyond administrations, systems, and political cycles,” Soliman said.
To Baguio, the objective is not simply to put documents online but to create records that can be checked, compared, and preserved over time.
The combination of blockchain, searchable public information, and AI-assisted analysis gives officials and citizens additional tools for examining how government decisions and projects are documented.
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