Help reduce food wastage

One in five Filipino families still endure the pain of involuntary hunger, according to a recent survey.

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Yet, food wastage is a problem in the country; 2,175 tons of food wasted daily, according to Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) data.

A solution to this sad reality is what HB No. 2196 or the proposed Food Waste Reduction Act filed by FP] Panday Bayanihan Party-List Rep. Brian Poe on Dec. 1, aims to address. The bill aims to establish a nationwide system requiring food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and culinary schools to segregate edible surplus and donate it to accredited food banks.

These donations would undergo inspection by local government unit (LGU) health officials before being distributed by food banks in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DSWD) and local governments.

The proposal also mandates LGUs to recycle inedible food waste and partner with waste management enterprises to convert it into fertilizer or compost—an effort meant to reduce landfill waste and support agricultural production.