Blockchain vs corruption?

I don’t doubt Sen. Bam Aquino’s good intentions when he filed a bill calling for the use of blockchain technology to manage the national budget. Sorry Senator Bam but technology is still no match to the evil minds that populate our bureaucracy.

- BOO CHANCO

Some years ago, there was this bright idea to computerize the operations of the Bureau of Customs to reduce corruption. Civic minded citizens and groups donated computers but it didn’t work.

Elizabeth Lee, an industry leader eager to modernize customs operations was told by a customs clerk that as far as they were concerned, “asin lang ang katapat ng mga computers.” They put salt on keyboards and leave food where the computer wires are so rodents will chew on the cables and render the computers useless.

The Customs people didn’t like computers. Their ability to perform magic on import documents is curtailed. Their side incomes will plummet if they cannot manipulate the documents.

That was years ago and maybe now, they have accepted computers after figuring out how to use the machines to cheat the government on duties importers must pay.

I am not an expert on computers and on programs like blockchain, so I asked a friend for his thoughts. He worked in a top international computer technology company and helped design and implement the digital banking system of a major bank.

He said he had the same doubts I had on Sen Bam’s bill when he read Draft Senate Bill 1330.

“Having spent years implementing IT systems, my background in Industrial Engineering has taught me one clear lesson even the best technology will fail without the right process and culture to sustain it.

“Before we even get to blockchain, we need to confront a fundamental reality, — no technology can, on its own, solve corruption or false reporting. As the DPWH mess has shown, garbage in, garbage out.