Landmark Legislations Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Senate of the Philippines

 

At present both houses of Congress have deliberated on several proposed measures that could significantly impact the social, political, and economic landscape of the Philippines. Among the most notable are the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, the Party-List Reform Bill, and the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act. If enacted into law, these measures could become landmark legislations under the administration of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and form part of his enduring legacy. They may even represent a “wave of the future” in Philippine governance by promoting transparency, accountability, and political reform. Importantly, these bills are not intended to target or malign specific politicians. Rather, they are designed to promote the common good of the Filipino people by strengthening democratic institutions and minimizing corruption.

1. Anti-Political Dynasty Bill (House Bill No. 1297)  

The proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill seeks to prevent a small number of families from monopolizing political power through their name recognition, political networks, and financial resources. Its primary objective is to provide equal opportunities for qualified and deserving candidates to run for public office, particularly in positions traditionally dominated by political families.               

At present, different versions of the bill remain pending in both chambers of Congress. One major point of debate concerns the allowable degree of consanguinity and affinity—essentially, how closely related individuals may be before they are prohibited from simultaneously or successively holding elective office.                                                                                                                                            

Opponents argue that some political dynasties have contributed significantly to the growth and prosperity of their communities. They contend that it is unfair to bar individuals from seeking office solely because they belong to political families. Ultimately, they argue, it should be the voters who decide. While these arguments carry weight, it is also true that not all dynasties are alike. In some cases, entrenched political families maintain their dominance due to electoral conditions that favor them, including allegations of vote-buying, political patronage, and even digital manipulation of election results. Such irregularities, which may involve millions of pesos, undermine the integrity of democratic processes.                                                                                                                                      

Corruption remains a complex issue rooted in human greed and systemic weaknesses. While legislation cannot eliminate corruption entirely, reforms such as the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill may help reduce its prevalence by promoting political competition and accountability.

2. Party-List Reform Bill (House Bill No. 1559)

The 1987 Constitution introduced the party-list system as a mechanism to ensure representation of marginalized and underprivileged sectors in Congress. Under this system, party-list representatives comprise 20% of the total membership in the House of Representatives.                                        

Initially, the system functioned as intended, with representation from labor groups, farmers, and other marginalized sectors. Over time, however, critics argue that political dynasties and wealthy elites have managed to circumvent the spirit of the law. As a result, individuals who do not genuinely represent marginalized sectors have gained party-list seats through financial resources and political connections.                                                                                                                                                                     This development has led to public disillusionment with the party-list system. Some have even suggested abolishing it. However, because the system is enshrined in the Constitution, its removal would require constitutional amendment.                                                                                                

The Party-List Reform Bill aims to correct these systemic flaws and restore the system’s original purpose. By tightening qualification standards and improving regulatory mechanisms, the reform seeks to make the party-list system more credible, transparent, and faithful to its constitutional mandate.

3. CADENA Act (Senate Bill No. 1506)                                                                                                

The Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act was proposed by Bam Aquino in response to public outrage over alleged misuse of public funds, including controversies involving flood control projects.                                                                                       

The core objective of the CADENA Act is to require all government agencies to upload their budget allocations and expenditures to a centralized digital government portal. This would allow stakeholders—including ordinary taxpayers—to monitor in real time how public funds are being spent.                 

The proposed system would utilize blockchain technology. In blockchain systems, data entries are grouped into “blocks” that are distributed across multiple nodes (computers) within a network. Once verified and approved by the network, a block is permanently added to the chain, making the data secure, transparent, and resistant to tampering.                                                                                         

By implementing blockchain for public expenditure tracking, the CADENA Act aims to enhance transparency, reduce opportunities for corruption, and strengthen public trust in government institutions.

Conclusion                                                                                                                                               

The Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, the Party-List Reform Bill, and the CADENA Act represent significant reform-oriented initiatives under the current administration. While each proposal faces legal, political, and practical challenges, their overarching goal is clear: to improve governance, promote accountability, and ensure that democratic institutions serve the broader interests of the Filipino people.                        

If enacted and effectively implemented, these measures could indeed become landmark legislations and help shape a more transparent and equitable political future for the Philippines.

Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act

The flood control project scandal in 2025 exposed the alleged massive corruption committed by high government elected officials, heads of government agencies such as the DPWH as well as private contractors in government funded projects. The alleged corruption was done through money received as commissions from project funds that resulted in sub-standard, unfinished, and ghost projects with estimated losses to the government amounting to hundreds of billions of pesos. People marched in the street to protest. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the issue by ordering an investigation to make those responsible persons answer for their acts.

Massive outpouring of protests from the people also led to demands for reform measures to curb corruption. In relation to it, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV filed Senate Bill 1506 called Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act.

Under that act, budget allocations by different government agencies are uploaded in a digital portal through a blockchain which is a technology wherein data such as a transaction is added to a computer network, and a block representing that data is created. Then the block is broadcast to all the nodes or computers in the network. Each node participant chooses to approve or deny the new block. If approved, the new block is added to the chain permanently. Blockchain technology is thus a system for recording information in a way that is secure, fast, transparent, and exceedingly difficult to change or hack. It prevents fraud and unauthorized activities.

CADENA Act mandates the full disclosure of government transactions through the establishment of digital budget portal to enhance transparency, accountability, and public participation in the Philippine budget process which make the use of fund verifiable even by ordinary citizens. The verifiable data includes the amount of allocation, the contractors, the cost of materials, time stamp, procurement records, project details and other pertinent information or records regarding the use or history of the budget flow.    

The bill which is certified as priority legislation by Pres. Marcos already passed the third readings in the senate on December 16, 2025, with 17 yes votes and no negative or abstention. However, the lower house has yet to pass their own version of the bill.      

In a related development, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) through Secretary Henry Aguda committed to implement the bill within just one budget cycle once it is passed into law.     

In overview, CADENA Act orders all government agencies to upload all their budget allocations with their related documents on a verifiable digital platform that is secured through blockchain technology to make it accessible to the public. Government officials who fail to comply may face administrative and criminal penalties. The passage of this law by both houses of congress and its final signing by the president will significantly minimize corruption in government offices.