Jollibee Foods Corporation and Republic Cement Unite to Recover and Divert Plastic Packaging Wastes through Co-Processing

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines. 01 February 2024 – The Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), one of the fastest growing  restaurant companies in the world, recently inked a partnership with Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. ("Republic Cement"), to support the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law. 

The EPR law aims to reduce the volume of plastic waste generation and extend the life of plastics by adding value or purpose through upcycling or recycling.

As part of its Joy for Tomorrow global sustainability agenda, JFC aims to recover post-consumer plastic packaging wastes, divert it away from the landfills and waterways, and send these to Republic Cement for co-processing. 

Republic Cement, a leading local cement manufacturer and the pioneer of co-processing in the country, will use the collected post-consumer packaging wastes as alternative fuel in the cement manufacturing process.

During the MOA signing held at the Republic Cement head office in Taguig City, Republic Cement CEO Mr. Roman Menz emphasized the role of the company in supporting organizations like JFC. 

“Republic Cement provides a very important solution to fight plastic pollution by diverting wastes away from landfills and waterways, away from areas where it can negatively affect communities. We are happy to see the commitment of the JFC towards doing their part in solving our current plastic pollution crisis. Republic Cement is with JFC in their journey for a greener, more sustainable world.”

JFC Vice President for Network Development Group Gerard Paul Filart, for his part, shared that the partnership with Republic Cement is timely and momentous as the company just celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2023. “We are committed to supporting our Global Sustainability Agenda with its three main pillars of Food, People, and Planet. With this partnership with Republic Cement, we are taking steps towards minimizing wastage while providing something of value.  With this, we are hoping we are helping to bring more joy for tomorrow.” 

The MOA covers wholly owned brands of Jollibee Foods Corporation in the Philippines, namely Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon; and franchised brands operated by JFC in the country, specifically Burger King, Panda Express, and Yoshinoya.

Holcim Optimizes Operations through Digitalization, Moves Closer to Plants of Tomorrow Ambition

A drone hovers inside a 31-foot silo of Holcim Philippines’ plant in Bacnotan, La Union to inspect it as part of the site’s regular maintenance activities. The drone’s operator takes notes of the maintenance actions to be taken. The activity is done in a few minutes.

Using drones for this task has eliminated health and safety risks from having people conduct visual inspections in remote spaces. The drone also allows for higher frequency of checks and reduces equipment downtimes required for such inspections.

The use of drones is one of several digitalization initiatives that leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines has undertaken. The company has accelerated these efforts as part of its innovation drive to raise business, safety and environmental performance to further improve efficiency and safety of manufacturing operations.

In 2022, Holcim Philippines implemented over 70 projects to raise manufacturing performance through automation technologies under the Holcim Group’s Plants of Tomorrow program. Focused on automating production processes and predictive maintenance, the Philippine projects are designed to generate optimization gains and savings.

Holcim Philippines President and CEO Horia Adrian: “Digitalization is a key part of our innovation and sustainability direction to further make operations safer, more efficient and respectful of the environment. We have already realized a number of gains from these initiatives and excited to accelerate our transition to digitalizing our plants to better serve customers and ultimately deliver excellent business results.”

A key Plants of Tomorrow initiative is the use of artificial intelligence for data-driven decision-making in operations. Already, sensors have been installed in key equipment to provide operators real-time data to guide them in keeping these running within parameters. Stable operations in turn improves plant production and ability to utilize low-carbon alternative while also reducing equipment wear and tear.

Holcim Philippines is also following the same approach in maintaining facilities with a software that projects the state of equipment for 90-day periods based on data provided by sensors. The information is critical in helping the company plan maintenance activities and conduct early intervention to prevent operational disruptions.

Furthermore, the company is deploying predictive tools in ensuring product quality with a software that projects the strength development of its cement for different time periods. This enables the company to make adjustments on its products faster instead of waiting for several days to implement tweaks.

Holcim Philippines is even using digitalization to simplify daily meetings with a software that consolidates information from different areas of operations. This removes the need to open numerous applications and preparation of reports allowing plant personnel to focus on implementing actions.

Holcim Philippines Senior Vice President for Cement Industrial Performance Eung Rae Kim: “We are very proud of our people for quickly adopting to of our digitalization direction. Upon seeing the benefits for the plants and the simplification of their job, our people immediately embraced this shift and are actively looking for ways to apply digitalization in other areas.”

The company also uses its drones for material surveying of storage facilities instead of having people conduct more costly and time-consuming physical audits. The quick adoption of digital tools in other areas of operations shows the company’s growing ease with its digitalization transition. Already, Holcim Philippines is exploring the of use predictive technologies to improve reliability and efficiency of operations and consumption of resources. While the company is still at the early stages of its digitalization journey, it is confidently moving towards making its plants ready to face the challenges of tomorrow.

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About Holcim Philippines

Holcim Philippines, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange: HLCM) is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The Company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs.

With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Batangas, Misamis Oriental and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a reliable partner of builders in the country.

Holcim highlights reliability, partnership in digital campaign for flagship brand Excel

Holcim Philippines has started a social media campaign highlighting its flagship general purpose cement brand Excel, which has established itself as a preferred choice among local contractors for reliability in building quality structures in its nearly two decades in the country.

Leading cement manufacturer Holcim Philippines, Inc. has rolled out a new digital campaign for its flagship general purpose cement brand Excel that highlights the product’s reliability in building durable and quality structures that supports user’s aspiration for progress.

The company has started a series of posts on Facebook and Instagram focused on how its Excel brand is trusted by contractors having established itself as among the preferred cement brands in the market for building important structures from homes to infrastructures. The campaign features Filipino words “kasangga” at “pag-angat” in reference to the attributes Excel is associated with as well as images of builders and homeowners.

Holcim Philippines Vice President for Marketing and Innovation Ram Maganti said the campaign is a celebration of how Excel has helped contractors build a number of structures that have made people’s lives better all over the country since its launch in 2001.

“Holcim Philippines has sold over a billion bags of Excel in the brand’s nearly two decades in the country. This reflects the trust in Excel of local contractors who in turn have used this to build many of the things that benefit us today. This campaign is a reminder that Excel will continue to be reliable partner in building a better Philippines moving forward,” he added.

Aside from the product posts, Maganti said the company will be sharing stories of its partners and employees whose lives have become better with Excel.

“We are thankful to our partners and people who have enabled us make Excel a success in the Philippines. We’d like to share their story as part of this campaign to provide positive and inspiring stories during this time. Our Excel experience shows that things do get better and there are companies and brands that you can count on to support you in your progress,” Maganti said.


Holcim Philippines, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange: HLCM) is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The Company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs.

With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Batangas, Misamis Oriental and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a reliable partner of builders in the country.

Holcim Philippines is also committed to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).

Holcim Philippines is a member of the LafargeHolcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry present in 80 countries with over 75,000 employees.

2019 National Arts and Crafts Fair Receives Excellent Reviews

During the formal opening of the 2019 National Arts and Crafts Fair. (L-R): Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) deputy executive director Annray Rivera; HABI Philippine Textile Council founder and chairperson Maribel Ongpin; DTI-Trade Promotions Group undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman; DTI-Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion director Marievic Bonoan: and When in Manila chief operations officer and NACF event ambassador Sky Gavin.

Tagged as the “Philippine Artisans Show,” the 2019 National Arts and Crafts Fair (NACF) was held from October 24 to 27 at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The four-day event lived up to its objective to promote our rich cultural traditions and national heritage, while at the same time expanding the market presence of MSMEs engaged in the creative industries.

This celebration of authentic Filipino artistry and ingenuity showcasing the best collection of high-quality indigenous materials, heritage crafts, and artistic mastery attracted close to 30,000 visitors, and garnered excellent reviews with 94% expressing satisfaction. Preliminary reports peg total sales at PhP 33.6-million.

During the formal opening held last October 24, Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman of the Trade Promotions Group delivered the inspirational message. The keynote address of Deputy Speaker and Antique Congresswoman Loren Legarda was delivered by her representative Ms. Maribel Ongpin, Chairperson and Founder of HABI The Philippine Textile Council.

In addition to 269 exhibitors from all of the country’s 17 regions, there were special settings and pavilions by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) featuring natural fibers and fabrics; the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) focusing on Philippine tropical fabrics; and the Philippine Forest Honey Network showcasing forest honey varieties from different parts of the country.

From the province of Antique, the thriving artisan communities and their traditional patadyong, hablon weaves, bariw handicrafts, and other specialties were highlighted with the participation of 27 exhibitors from all of the province’s 18 municipalities. A special section was also devoted to the Bangon Marawi initiative, with their brassware, gongs and bells, woodcraft and textile products. Selected beneficiaries of the DTI’s Shared Service Facilities (SSF) program were also among the exhibitors.

The ubiquitous KAPEtirya offered choice local coffee blends from the regions, with a selection of native delicacies. There was also the usual leathercrafts workshop manned by the differently-abled workers of Handcrafted by Harl’s, while Baybayin experts rendered text in the traditional Tagalog script, and craft artists conducted brush calligraphy and mixed media art workshops.

Following the formal opening on Thursday, October 24, there was a daily program of activities focusing on business talks on Friday, October 25; arts and crafts activities on Saturday, October 26; and the performing arts on Sunday, October 27. A special focus of the daily program were the cultural presentations and live demonstrations of the arts, crafts, and practices that are being transmitted by cultural masters to the next generation through community managed learning programs of the Schools of Living Traditions (SLT) under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The 2019 NACF was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion (DTI-BDTP) headed by Director Marievic M. Bonoan in cooperation with the Regional Operations Group, with support from the Office of Deputy Speaker Legarda.

For more information, contact numbers are (02) 7751-3223 and (02) 7791-3102, or email bdtp@dti.gov.ph. You may also follow DTI-BDTP on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

PRRD Orders Inclusion of Hollow Blocks in the List of Products with Mandatory Certification – DTI Chief

The Cabinet deliberated on the impact of the recent series of earthquakes and the measures moving forward. According to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez, among the concerns raised by President Rodrigo Duterte during the recent Cabinet meeting was the quality of hollow blocks, noting many small hollow block makers may not follow standard processes and specifications needed in production. Even as Sec. Lopez gave assurance on the standard compliance of steel and cement, among others, the President mandated the inclusion of hollow blocks in the list of products with mandatory certification as these are not yet included in the certification schemes implemented by DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards.

Relatedly, the President ordered all local government units (LGUs) and contractors to ensure that all construction materials being used in any construction activity must pass quality standards. If they are found to be using inferior quality construction materials and not adhering to the specifications in the Building Code as well as in its structural design, their licenses as contractors may be revoked. Likewise, contractors of government projects that use uncertified materials will not be paid and their contracts will be terminated.

“The quality of any building structure depends not only on the product standards, but also on the quality of the construction job, particularly on adherence to approved structural design and the Building Code, required steel density, cement mixtures, among others,” Sec. Lopez said.

DTI ensures the standard compliance of products under the mandatory certification list such as cement, steel, nails and glass (although glass’ inclusion is currently under court injunction).

Under the Duterte administration, DTI has tightened products’ certification and procedures. Apart from the PS accreditation of the manufacturing plant, products are also tested at the plant. For imported steel or cement, these are tested at pre-shipment and post-shipment. Sampling size for testing was also increased by more than 15 times.

More products are now being studied to be included in the mandatory certification list such as plywood, roofing, and tiles.

Statement on the Imposition of P10 per 40 kg bag Definitive General Safeguard Duty on Imported Cement from Various Countries

The Tariff Commission (TC) has determined that the domestic cement (Type 1 and Type1P)  is a “like product” to imported  cement (Type 1 and Type 1P) and that cement is being imported into  the Philippines in increased quantities, and established  the existence of a causal link between imminent threat of serious injury to the local cement industry and increased imports of cement, TC recommended the application of a definitive general safeguard measure at PhP297 per MT or PhP12 per 40kg bag on imported cement to prevent the occurrence of the threat of serious injury. TC further recommended that the definitive safeguard measure be applied for a period of three (3) years, starting from the date that the provisional measures took effect  in accordance with Rule 8.7 of the IRRs of RA No. 8800.

Relevant Provision:  Section 13 of RA 8800

“Adoption of Definitive Measures. – Upon its positive determination, the Commission shall recommend to the Secretary an appropriate definitive measure, in the form of: 

(a)     An increase in, or imposition of, any duty on the imported product;

(b)     A decrease in or the imposition of a tariff-rate quota (MAV) on the product; 

(c)     A modification or imposition of any quantitative restriction on the importation of the product into the Philippines; 

(d)     One or more appropriate adjustment measures, including the provision of trade adjustment assistance; 

(e)     Any combination of actions described in subparagraphs (a) to (d).

Rule 5.2 , IRR of RA 8800 – Conditions for the Application of  General Safeguard Measures

The Secretary when establishing that the application of a safeguard measure will be in the public interest shall take into consideration the following factors; among others: 

     (i) whether the imposition of the provisional measure will result in political and economic crisis: and
     (ii) the extent to which such imposition will cause a shortage of a product under consideration in the domestic market”. 

DTI has taken into account public interest in the decision whether to impose safeguard measures and has considered other factors that will assist the  local industry and  will benefit the consumers  and end users.

Likewise, the safeguard level aims to minimize the impact to prices for buyers and users while addressing the industry injury issue, while still encouraging local manufacturers to continuously pursue efficiencies to be more globally competitive.

DTI is mandated by RA 8800 (The Safeguard Measures Act) to protect domestic industry from serious injury caused by a surge in imports. While DTI is also mandated to protect consumers, there is a need to balance this taking into account other sectors such as investors and  industry which provide  employment to Filipinos. There is also a need to moderate imports to balance trade. If local manufacturers can adequately supply domestic requirements, they need to be provided a level playing field to enable them to compete with imports. This will allow expansion of the country’s manufacturing base and generate more jobs for Filipinos. Further, users of cement retain their option to choose between the local and imported cement since imports will still be allowed.  The imposition of a safeguard measure is not expected to cause a shortage of cement in the domestic market considering that the cement manufacturers have sufficient capacity to meet domestic demand.  For these reasons, DTI has determined that it is in the public interest to impose the definitive safeguard measure.

Accordingly, the DTI has reviewed the Commission’s findings and recommendations and has established that the imposition of the definitive general safeguard measure shall be in the public interest. 

We are deciding on the imposition of definitive safeguard duty of P250 per MT or P10 per 40kg bag for the first year of the implementation to encourage and challenge the local cement industries to be globally competitive.  

Pursuant to Section 18 of RA 8800, the amount of safeguard duty shall be reduced for the second and third years of the implementation.  Thus, it is recommended that the amount of the safeguard duty be reduced to P9.00 per 40kg bag for the second year and to P8.00 per 40kg bag for the third year.  A yearly review shall be conducted to determine the appropriateness of the safeguard duty.

DTI, DENR Align Policies for Stricter Environmental Standards and Modern Technologies in Steel Industry

QUEZON CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are pushing for stricter environmental standards and more modern and cleaner technology in steelmaking industry to ensure manufacturers produce quality and safer steel products as well as encourage industries to be environment-friendly.

During a meeting between DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez and DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu last Monday, the agencies agreed to review existing environmental standards and production technologies used in steelmaking, considering reports that several used induction furnace facilities have been set up, which can be more pollutive and produce inconsistent quality and non-conforming steel products.

“What we need in the country are modern, environmentally friendly technologies that will consistently produce quality products,” said Sec. Lopez.

China, which has the top three steelmakers in the list of the top six largest in the world, has phased out and eradicated induction furnaces in 2017 because of its pollutive process and inconsistent quality products manufactured.

“We do not want those used pollutive induction furnaces to transfer to our country,” the trade chief added.

DTI is intensifying its campaign for safer and higher quality steel products; thus, it is reviewing its policies and regulations on this matter.

“This collaboration with DENR will help us in promoting industrial capacity building with the use of advance technology in steel making while protecting our environment. This is also a testament that as we drive economic growth, we encourage responsible businesses in the country,” said Sec. Lopez.

The DTI and the DENR are set to form a Technical Working Group (TWG) to align its policies and strategies in ensuring steelmaking facilities are compliant with environmental standards and product quality. The TWG will likewise review the compliance of steel producers with an online monitoring system linked to the DENR.

According to the Trade Secretary, the move is also in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production, which is actively pursued in the ASEAN region.

Sec. Cimatu expressed DENR’s commitment in the collaboration. He assured that the Environmental Management (EMB) as well as the Mines and Geosciences Bureaus (MGB) will be in coordination with the DTI-Consumer Protection Group and the Board of Investments (BOI) in this agenda.

Sec. Lopez said that both agencies are studying proposed regulations on the use of secondhand equipment or machineries in the steel industry.  Moreover, a study on the possibility of making the approval for all environmental compliance certificates (ECC) for critical heavy industries like steelmaking and cement be on a national level.  This is to ensure more comprehensive and faster review of ECC applications, as well as enjoining a more intensive environment and production monitoring of steelmaking facilities.

The TWG shall also review the proposed increase in penalties imposed on manufacturers violating environmental standards or the terms and conditions in the ECC.

As for the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS), Sec. Lopez committed that there will be a review on the Philippine Standard (PS) license certification scheme procedures for steel products, possibly including steel billets, and more intensive monitoring at the retail trade level.

Present during the meeting were DENR Undersecretary Rodolfo Garcia, MGB Assistant Director Danilo Uykieng, Metallurgical Technology Division Chief Engr. Juancho Calvez, and EMB Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Division Chief Engr. Esperanza Sajul, DTI Undersecretaries Ceferino Rodolfo and Ruth Castelo, DTI-BPS Officer-in-Charge Engr. Neil Catajay, BOI Governor Angelica Cayas and Director Evariste Cagatan.