The House of Representatives is moving toward full digital legislative operations with the development of a new application called the House Book, a platform designed to streamline internal workflows and improve public transparency through the use of blockchain and artificial intelligence.

The initiative was formally announced by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III during the resumption of session on Monday, where he framed the digital shift as part of a broader effort to rebuild trust in government and strengthen institutional safeguards.

What the House Book Will Do

According to the Speaker, the House Book app will allow members and staff to: monitor committee roll calls, track floor and committee votes, manage and route documents digitally, reduce paper dependence in legislative workflows, coordinate sessions and committee proceedings more efficiently.

The goal is to transition from manual, paper-heavy processes to automated and auditable digital systems beginning in 2026.

Blockchain for Transparency, AI for Efficiency

Under the plan, blockchain will serve as an audit and integrity layer, anchoring key records such as voting logs, committee resolutions, and official documents. This enables tamper-resistant verification and establishes traceability without relying solely on institutional assurances.

Artificial intelligence is expected to support document classification, retrieval, and workflow automation—areas that presently contribute to bottlenecks in committee coordination and archival processes.

The initiative is being developed in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), which is also leading major digital governance efforts including the eGov PH Super App, Digital Bayanihan Chain, and upcoming eGovDocs digital signing system.

Part of a Larger Government Modernization Push

The House Book aligns with the Marcos administration’s digital governance directives, which emphasize transparency, interoperability, and data accessibility across government services.

DICT has identified blockchain-backed systems as a tool for reinforcing auditability in public processes, following pilots in budget transparency and digital record verification.

Should the House Book proceed to deployment in 2026 as announced, the Philippines would position itself among the first legislatures in the region to operationalize blockchain in parliamentary functions.

Technical announcements—including architecture, cybersecurity measures, data access parameters, and AI governance frameworks—are expected to follow from DICT and the House Secretariat in the coming months.

“This is only the beginning of a longer process of institutional transformation,” Dy said, noting that the objective is “a Congress that is transparent, accountable, and worthy of the people’s trust.”

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