Mayor Isko Moreno Taps Qadena Blockchain for City Budget Transparency in Manila

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Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with blockchain-focused non-government organization QADENA Foundation for the use of blockchain technology in the local government unit (LGU)’s budget cycle.

Manila LGU x QADENA Foundation

The MOA signing was attended by key figures from both parties, including QADENA Foundation’s Executive Director Gail Macapagal, Chairman Ann Cuisia, and Trustee Ton Patron, alongside Atty. Cristina Fernandez, Head of Manila City’s Assessment Department.

Mayor Domagoso emphasized the core objective of the initiative:

“True citizen service should not only be fast and reliable. It must first and foremost be truthful. Technology should help ensure that public resources are managed with honesty, visibility, and accountability for every Filipino.”

Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, City Mayor, Manila

Technical Aspects

According to the NGO, the partnership aims to promote transparency and fiscal accountability to the LGU by utilizing a Filipino-built public layer-1 blockchain developed under the Qadena ecosystem.

“The platform is designed specifically for government-grade requirements, combining transparency with strong privacy, confidentiality, and compliance features needed for handling sensitive public sector data.”

QADENA Foundation

The blockchain infrastructure that will be used is a hybrid public-private consortium network and is open source. This means government institutions, civic organizations, and academic partners may serve as node operators.

The system is also said to allow data to be recorded from its original source and anchored on a tamper-resistant ledger.

These features will ensure that the goal of traceability and auditability for the budget cycle of Manila LGU is achieved while maintaining the necessary controls over confidential government information, the foundation said in a statement.

We intend to make them the pilot of the template that we have built for CADENA_LGU beginning with the assessor’s office and then the rest of the LGU’s departments.”

Ann Cuisia, Chairman, QADENA Foundation

The Pilot Phase and Expansion

Mayor Domagoso expressed optimism that more LGUs will utilize blockchain technology to ensure transparency in city budgets.

“From the Go Manilla app being the template of most LGUs, we would be glad to be the first to embark on a true transparency portal using the latest technology and in accordance with the Cadena Act.”

Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, City Mayor, Manila

Meanwhile, the QADENA Foundation pledged to be a “coordinating body for knowledge exchange and technical collaboration” by ensuring that LGUs will have access to the expertise needed to properly design, implement, and govern blockchain-based systems for public administration.

The QADENA Foundation is an NGO focused on advocating for blockchain’s growth, governance, and ecosystem development.

“As governments around the world explore the role of emerging technologies in public administration, the Manila–Qadena collaboration signals a locally driven approach to digital trust infrastructure. By combining open collaboration, civic participation, and Filipino-built technology, the initiative aims to contribute to a more transparent and accountable model of governance for the country.”

QADENA Foundation

Blockchain Adoption in City Budget Processes

The nation’s capital is one of the LGUs in the Philippines to utilize blockchain technology for transparency.

In 2025, Baguio City, led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong, announced that it will pilot “GoodGovChain,” a blockchain-powered governance platform built on Digital Public Asset (DPA) Framework, a a hybrid public-private blockchain developed by Filipino-led blockchain company BayaniChain.

This article is published on BitPinas: Manila LGU Partners with QADENA Foundation to Integrate Blockchain in City Budget Cycle

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