This policy brief aims to discuss and revisit current measures on preferential procurement, especially the Domestic Bidders’ Preference Certification (DoBid) Program, and assess its impact and possible ways forward to enhance and maximize economic gains and industry development that could be facilitated through the grant of domestic preference in government procurement in the Philippines.

The Philippines’ implementation of local preference in government procurement is generally for local bidders with products that are locally grown, cultivated, and/or manufactured. It is hinged under the assurance of competition. The clear difference between the Philippines and its ASEAN counterparts is the identification of which industries/sectors, or demography and at what percentage of the offered goods and services are going to be prioritized in local preference. The mentioned differences may be explored for improving the implementation of local preference in the country. Moreover, we have provided recommendations for further exploration and improvement of the implementation of local preference in government procurement in the country.