Republic Cement, a leading building materials manufacturer in the Philippines, becomes the first cement company in the country to receive Domestic Bidder’s (DoBid) Certificates of Preference from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on 4 July 2024.

Republic Cement received the DoBid Certificate of Preference for the following goods: Type 1TMH, Type 1 Cement, Type 1L Cement, Type N Cement, Type S Cement, and Type 2 Cement sold under the brands REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC PORTLAND PLUS, FORTUNE, RAPIDSET, RAPIDSET PLUS, WALLMASTER, and KAPIT-BALAY MASONRY.

The DoBid Certificate of Preference Program is part of DTI’s ongoing efforts to drive support for locally manufactured products and Filipino businesses, especially with the recent passing of Republic Act No. 11981 or the Tatak Pinoy Law. In being awarded the DoBid Certification, Republic Cement guarantees consumers that they are proudly locally manufacturing their products. Contractors for government projects can also be assured that they are using Filipino cement, a provision under the Tatak Pinoy Law.

Buying local goods and building with local materials help foster growth in our communities and boost the local economy. “We’re very proud to be the first cement company to be DoBid certified,” said Republic Cement VP for Strategy Reinier Dizon. “With this, we can continue supporting the Philippine economy through the many jobs we create and maintain, sustaining livelihoods and building thriving communities. With this certification, we fully support the Philippine government in their thrust to communicate that supporting local is the key to a brighter economic future,” he added.

DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba also acknowledged Republic Cement’s initiative in seeking to be DoBid certified. “One of our main priority industries under Tatak Pinoy is manufacturing. Hence, we really encourage local manufacturing companies to apply for the DO-BID certificate to expand their market, boost growth, and enhance competitiveness.,” she said. “It’s through private sector partnerships such as this that we’re truly able to achieve the objectives of our Tatak Pinoy mission. We thank Republic Cement for fully supporting our DoBid Certification program and Tatak Pinoy initiatives overall.”

With the successful DoBid certification, Republic Cement continues stepping forward as a key partner in nation-building, encouraging inclusive growth and nurturing industries as we build a stronger republic.