Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session

7034

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative JOEL MAYO Z. ALMARIO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill requires all food establishments nationwide to include half cup of
cooked rice as an option in their menus to achieve a fourfold goal of reducing food
wastage, establishing rice production self-sufficiency, lessening consumer expense,
and promoting health and balanced eating.

Primary in the list of goals is preventing wastage in rice consumption in order
to realize rice production autonomy by our local farmers. According to the
Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), each
Filipino wastes an average of two (2) tablespoons of cooked rice each day. This is
equivalent to twelve (12%) percent of the country’s annual rice imports, costing the
country roughly 7.2 billion pesos annually - an amount that can feed 2.5 million
Filipinos for an entire year. From this data, it can be concluded that the current trend
in rice consumption where there is excessive rice leftover runs counter to the
numerous government programs aiming to achieve rice production self-sufficiency.

Second, this bill allows consumers to lessen their expenses by giving them an
option to order half a cup of rice instead of the usual one whole cup when ordering
from restaurants, cafeterias, diners, eateries and the like. By giving consumers an
option to order less rice, the cost of each meal is also lowered.

Lastly, the bill promotes health awareness by giving the consumers an option
of decreasing their rice intake. It provides customers who are trying to limit their rice
consumption the choice to order only the amount of rice they can actually consume,
effectively discouraging over-eating.

It is hoped that with the passage of this bill, all the abovementioned goals will
be achieved.

Support for this bill is earnestly sought.

. ALMARIO

2» District, Davao Oriental


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 7034

Introduced by Representative JOEL MAYO Z. ALMARIO

AN ACT MANDATING ALL COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS SERVING FOOD TO
THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE ONE-HALF CUP OF RICE SERVING AS A MENU
OPTION, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION OF SUCH, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE - This Act shall be known as the “Half-Cup Rice Act
of 2018.”

SECTION 2. MANDATE - It is hereby mandated that all commercial
establishments serving food to the public include an option to order a half cup or one
hundred (100 g) grams of cooked rice serving option in their menus.

SECTION 3. PENALTIES - Any business establishment found violating this Act
shall be fined Five Thousand Pesos (PhP5,000.00) for the first offense; Ten Thousand
Pesos (PhP 10,000.00) for the second offense; and Fifteen Thousand Pesos (PhP
15,000.00) and suspension of license or permit to operate for a period not less than
thirty (30) days for the third and subsequent offenses.

SECTION 4. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS ~ The Department
of Trade and Industry shall, within ninety (90) days from the promulgation of this Act,
formulate the rules and regulations necessary for the proper implementation of this
Act.

SECTION 5. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE - Should any provision or part hereof be
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE - All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules
and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed, or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 7. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE - This Actshall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation, whichever comes earlier.

Approved.