Technology entrepreneur and blockchain advocate Ann Cuisia is proposing a new framework to translate fiscal transparency into real-world practice, saying the key to accountability lies in systems design-not in legislating specific technologies.
In an opinion piece titled ‘National Budget in Action: Turning Transparency Into Practice,’ Cuisia called on lawmakers to back the proposed National Budget in Action (NBA) Act, a measure that seeks to institutionalize public access to government spending data through an integrated, citizen-driven online portal.
‘The goal of transparency is not achieved by naming a tool; it is achieved by designing a system that guarantees access, accountability, and auditability regardless of the technology behind it,’ Cuisia said, echoing her earlier stance that mandating blockchain by law ‘misses the point.’
A citizen-powered transparency framework
Under the NBA Act, a National Budget in Action Website would consolidate all budget-related documents-from appropriations to disbursements-into one searchable and downloadable database. The platform would also feature interactive visualizations to help citizens track government spending in real time.
‘It’s transparency you can click, track, and trust,’ Cuisia explained, adding that the platform’s design would prioritize ease of use for both experts and ordinary citizens.
Redundancy as protection
To prevent tampering or selective data disclosure, the proposal also introduces a network of mirror websites maintained by nongovernmental organizations, media outlets, and academic institutions. These independent repositories, she said, will serve as ‘redundant safeguards’ ensuring that public data remains intact and accessible.
‘When transparency has redundancy, it becomes irreversible,’ she said.
Incentivizing vigilance
Beyond data publication, the NBA framework would establish a National Budget Watch Council composed of representatives from government, civil society, academe, and randomly selected citizens. This council will conduct independent audits and flag anomalies in real time.
Cuisia also proposed the creation of a Transparency Rewards Fund to compensate investigative journalists, civic data analysts, and whistleblowers who uncover verifiable cases of corruption or fund misuse.
‘This shifts transparency from passive disclosure to active participation,’ she said. ‘It rewards vigilance rather than punishes it.’
Technology neutrality remains key
While Cuisia acknowledged the promise of blockchain and artificial intelligence in strengthening fiscal oversight, she warned against ‘enshrining any single technology into law.’
‘The emphasis should be on outcomes: transparency, accessibility, auditability, and citizen empowerment,’ she noted. ‘Let technology serve those goals, not define them.’
From critique to construction
Cuisia said the NBA Act represents a shift from mere criticism to constructive reform, positioning transparency as a permanent part of national governance rather than a campaign slogan.
‘This is not opposition for its own sake,’ she stressed. ‘It is a call to build transparency as infrastructure, not as a promise. Only then can we say the budget is not just written in law, but lived in action.’