Philippines Implements Polygon for Secure Handling of Government Records
The Philippines has taken a significant step towards enhancing transparency and security in public service by launching a blockchain-based document verification system on the Polygon (MATIC) network. This initiative, known as Project Marissa, is part of a broader digital reform effort led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) since 2023 [1].
The new system, developed in collaboration with local blockchain firm Bayanichain, serves as a digital ledger for official government financial documents. These documents, created using the Action Document Releasing System (ADRS), are then transferred to the Lumen platform [2].
The Lumen platform, built using Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure, uses the Polygon blockchain to record approved documents. The Prismo Protocol, an additional layer of control, determines which parts of the documents can be safely shared with the public and which parts need to remain private [3].
The system employs non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to issue official financial documents digitally, allowing each issuance of Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) to be uniquely identified and verified on-chain as secure, traceable assets [3]. This not only secures these documents against forgery but also enables public verification via QR codes or reference code lookup [1].
The system went live on July 30, 2025, despite a temporary disruption caused by a technical issue in Polygon's Heimdall v2 consensus layer. Although this outage affected some public services like block explorers, the core blockchain operations remained functional, allowing the government to commence the platform rollout uninterrupted [1][2][3][4].
With this innovative solution, the Philippines aims to combat the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes and improve accountability and trust in government spending [1][3]. The use of NFTs in the system has also made a comeback in the broader crypto market.
The launch of the system was confirmed in a Facebook post by Maria Francesca Montes Del Rosario, Undersecretary of the DBM [5]. Before its full rollout, the system was tested in a sandbox setup to ensure its efficiency and security.
In summary, the Philippines' blockchain document verification system on Polygon under Project Marissa uses NFTs to issue official government financial documents, securing them against forgery and enabling public verification. This initiative is set to improve accountability and trust in government spending, thereby fostering a more transparent and secure public service system.
- This innovative blockchain document verification system in the Philippines, using NFTs for secure and traceable assets like Special Allotment Release Orders and Notices of Cash Allocation, demonstrates the significant role of technology in combating threats such as AI-generated deepfakes and enhancing accountability and trust in government spending.
- The implementation of the Project Marissa system, which operates via the Polygon network, exemplifies the potential of technology to foster a more transparent and secure public service system, as it secures official financial documents against forgery and enables public verification via QR codes or reference code lookup.
