Direct answer: Baguio City has launched Katibayan, a blockchain-based public records repository built by the Filipino firm BYC Ventures (BayaniChain Tech Inc.). According to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), the city uploaded 246 city ordinances and 106 infrastructure contracts from 2021 to 2026 worth about ₱275 million, which the public can view, download and verify online. Blockchain makes it much harder to secretly change a record after it is uploaded. It does not prove that the record was accurate, complete or lawful in the first place. Source: PIA
Last materially reviewed: September 29, 2026
Evidence and action
- Verified: PIA’s September 28, 2026 report gives the launch date (September 23, 2026), the developer, the record counts and the contract value, and says the arrangement is a two-year memorandum of agreement at no cost to the city.
- Not stated: PIA does not name the underlying blockchain network or describe how a citizen checks a document’s fingerprint (hash). We did not find a published technical specification.
- Context: Katibayan follows Baguio’s 2025 GoodGovChain pilot and the Department of Budget and Management’s 2025 blockchain system for budget-release documents, built by the same company.
- Action: Citizens and contractors should download and keep copies of records they rely on, and compare them with certified true copies when the stakes are high.
Key takeaways
- What launched: Katibayan (Filipino for “proof” or “testimony”), a blockchain records system with AI audit features being tested.
- What is on it: 246 ordinances and 106 infrastructure contracts (2021–2026), about ₱275 million in total contract value.
- Who built it: BYC Ventures (BayaniChain Tech Inc.), under a two-year agreement at no cost to the city.
- What it proves: that a document has not been altered since it was recorded, and when it was recorded.
- What it does not prove: that the contract was properly procured, the project was built, or the uploaded file was the correct one.
Jump to: What launched · How it works · Limits · Legal questions · National picture · FAQ
Decision snapshot
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Can the public see Baguio’s ordinances and contracts on Katibayan? | Yes. PIA reports that citizens can view, download and verify official records through a public website. |
| Does blockchain make the records “tamper-proof”? | It makes undetected changes after upload very hard. It does not stop a wrong or incomplete file from being uploaded. |
| Does it prove a road or building was actually built? | No. It proves what the document says, not what happened on the ground. |
| Is Katibayan required by national law? | No. The CADENA bill, which would require blockchain-style budget disclosure nationally, passed the Senate in December 2025 but, as of early September 2026, had not passed the House. |
| Can a Katibayan record be used in court? | Likely helpful as supporting proof of integrity, but it would still need to be authenticated under the Rules on Electronic Evidence. No court has ruled on it. |
What did Baguio City launch?
Katibayan is Baguio City’s blockchain-based repository for public documents, launched on September 23, 2026. PIA reports that the first batch covers 246 city ordinances and 106 infrastructure contracts dated 2021 to 2026, with a combined value of about ₱275 million. More records will be uploaded during a testing period, and AI audit features are being tested under the memorandum of agreement. Citizens can also submit feedback, which is routed to the relevant city office. Source: PIA
Mayor Benjamin Magalong framed the project around open data: “We want to adopt an open data policy. But how confident are we that documents would not be stolen or altered? We found no other technology as reliable as blockchain.” BYC Ventures CEO Paul Soliman tied it to AI-era forgery: “When AI can create fake documents and alter evidence, we need a permanent, timestamped record that everyone can trust.”
Katibayan builds on earlier work. In November 2025, the city began uploading financial records, bidding documents and infrastructure reports to a blockchain system with the same partner, as part of its Open Government Partnership commitment. Source: Philstar
How does a blockchain records system work?
A blockchain records system stores a unique digital fingerprint of each document in a shared ledger that cannot practically be rewritten. The fingerprint, called a hash, is calculated from the file’s exact contents. Change one comma and the hash changes completely. When someone later downloads the document and computes its hash, a match with the recorded hash shows the file is the same one that was registered, and the ledger’s timestamp shows when it was registered.
| Step | What happens | What it protects against |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Upload | City office uploads the official PDF | Nothing yet; accuracy depends on the office |
| 2. Anchor | A hash and timestamp are written to the blockchain | Later disputes over when the record existed |
| 3. Publish | Record is shown on the public site | Records that are hard to obtain |
| 4. Verify | A viewer checks the file against the recorded hash | Quiet edits, backdating or swapped files |
This is the general model. PIA’s report does not specify which network Katibayan uses or its exact verification steps, so readers should rely on the city’s own instructions on the platform.
What can blockchain records not do?
Blockchain proves a record’s integrity after it is recorded; it does not prove the truth of what the record says. This limit was raised publicly in January 2026, when former DICT Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said of the national budget blockchain that it “only records data; it does not verify if that data is truthful or if the projects on the ground actually exist.” BayaniChain’s CEO responded that the system ensures data integrity and provenance rather than directly preventing corruption. Source: BitPinas
- Garbage in, garbage out. An inflated, incomplete or wrong contract is preserved just as faithfully as a correct one.
- Selection. The public sees only what the city uploads. Coverage of all contracts and ordinances matters as much as the technology.
- Physical reality. A contract record does not confirm delivery. Site inspections, audit reports and photos remain necessary.
- Dependence on one provider. The two-year, no-cost agreement raises practical questions the city should answer publicly: who holds the files if the arrangement ends, and can the records be verified independently of the provider?
- AI features need checking. AI audit tools can flag anomalies but can also make mistakes; findings should be reviewed by people before any conclusion is drawn.
What legal questions does Katibayan raise?
Are blockchain-stored public records legally valid?
Yes, the electronic form itself is not a problem. The Electronic Commerce Act (Republic Act No. 8792) gives electronic documents legal recognition, and the E-Governance Act (Republic Act No. 12254) pushes government offices toward digital records and services. A copy on Katibayan is still a copy, though: for official purposes, the certified record from the issuing office remains the reference.
Can a Katibayan record be used as evidence?
Possibly, as strong supporting proof. Under the Supreme Court’s Rules on Electronic Evidence, a party presenting an electronic document must still prove it is what it claims to be. A matching blockchain hash and timestamp can help show that a document has not changed since a certain date, but Philippine courts have not yet ruled on blockchain anchoring specifically. See how electronic evidence is authenticated.
What about personal information in public documents?
Ordinances and contracts can contain names, signatures, addresses and contact details. The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) applies to government offices too, and the National Privacy Commission is the regulator responsible for it. Because blockchain records are designed never to change, personal information that should not be public must be removed before upload; it cannot simply be deleted later. Storing only a hash on-chain, with the document kept off-chain, reduces this risk.
How does this fit the national picture?
Baguio is not alone. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) launched a blockchain application for budget-release documents on July 30, 2025, with a public portal that verifies documents by QR code. Source: DBM In Congress, the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act, Senate Bill No. 1506, was approved by the Senate 17–0 on December 15, 2025. It would require agencies to upload budget, contract and procurement records to a platform that is tamper-resistant and independently verifiable. Source: Philippine News Agency As of September 3, 2026, the House had not approved its version on third reading. Source: Inquirer
At the national level, a separate order now covers budget and project disclosure: see our explainer on Executive Order 126 and the DBM COMPASS spending portal.
What should citizens, contractors and other LGUs do?
- Citizens: check contracts for projects in your barangay, download copies and use the feedback feature to flag discrepancies.
- Contractors and suppliers: confirm that your contracts are recorded accurately; errors are easier to fix before they are relied on.
- Journalists and watchdogs: compare Katibayan records with Commission on Audit reports and site conditions.
- Other local governments: before copying the model, settle data ownership and exit terms, remove personal data before upload, and publish how verification works.
Frequently asked questions
What is Katibayan?
Katibayan is Baguio City’s blockchain-based public records system, developed by BYC Ventures (BayaniChain Tech Inc.) and launched September 23, 2026.
What records are on Katibayan?
At launch: 246 city ordinances and 106 infrastructure contracts from 2021 to 2026 worth about ₱275 million, according to PIA. More records are being added.
How much did Katibayan cost Baguio City?
PIA reports it is provided under a two-year memorandum of agreement at no cost to the city.
Does blockchain stop corruption?
Not by itself. It makes quiet changes to recorded documents detectable. Stopping corruption still depends on what is recorded, audits and enforcement.
Can records on a blockchain be deleted?
The ledger entry generally cannot be changed or deleted. The document itself may be stored separately; how Katibayan handles corrections has not been published.
Is blockchain required for Philippine government records?
Not yet. The CADENA bill would require a verifiable digital budget platform nationally, but it had not become law as of our last review.
Official and primary sources
- Philippine Information Agency: Baguio City launches blockchain records system (Sept 28, 2026)
- Department of Budget and Management: blockchain application goes live (July 30, 2025)
- Philippine News Agency: Senate passes CADENA bill (Dec 15, 2025)
- Republic Act No. 8792, Electronic Commerce Act
- National Privacy Commission
CyberCode takeaway
Katibayan gives Baguio residents something valuable: a way to check that the ordinances and contracts they download are the same ones the city recorded. Its value will depend less on the blockchain than on what the city uploads, how completely, and whether anyone compares the paper trail with what was actually built.
Cybercode.ph provides general educational information about technology, cybersecurity, privacy and related legal issues. It is not a substitute for legal, cybersecurity or professional advice for a specific situation.
Featured image: Photo by Johan Rickardo Roxas via Unsplash.