Republic of the Philippines Ff
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

pare: AU
TIME:

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No3973

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

There is enough food in the world, according to the World Food Programme’. But
over 1.3 billion tons of food never reach human stomachs and are wasted each
year®, Food insecurity is mainly a problem of access rather than production,
according to the Food and Agriculture Organization®. Developing countries such as
the Philippines suffer more food losses during agricultural production’ than from
consumption—meaning we waste food being produced in the country even before it
hits the plates of the people.

In 2015, the DA reported that wastage of rice had gone up to 10 billion yearly’,
causing an alarm as rice is a staple in Filipino meals. This has prompted the
Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2016 to push for efforts in saving the food
production, as wasteful food distribution is harmful and will affect food supply
significantly’. Food supply and insecurity will continue to be a problem if this is not
addressed

This legislation hopes to end food wastage and food insecurity in the country through
a National Zero Food Waste Campaign that intends to educate on the current food

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waste situation and on reducing food wastes and create national and local food
waste prevent programs. In addressing the losses from production, this bill
encourages households and local government units to recycle inedible food waste
into fertilizers or compost.

This bill also intends to prohibit food related businesses like restaurants and
supermarkets from throwing away edible food and instead donate them to food
banks and charity homes. Food establishments, in return, are given tax incentives by

‘exempting them from donor's tax and shall be considered as an allowable deduction
from their gross income.

The “Zero Food Waste” trend has taken hold on other countries as well, such as the
United States’, in helping reduce food waste in the world. This bill, once enacted,
hopes to pioneer laws among countries, especially developing countries such as the
Philippines, in doing our part in ending world hunger and making the world a much
better place to live in.

As such, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LUIS —— JR.

http://www npr.org/sections/thesall/2017/09/14/548966458/warriors-against-waste-these-restaurants-and-bars-
‘are-aiming-for-zero


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL no3 973
=
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.
ee
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF REDISTRIBUTING AND RECYCLING FOOD
WASTE TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY

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 “Zero Food Waste Act’.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes that each person has a
tight to an adequate standard of living, including to sufficient food. It is hereby

declared a policy of the State to safeguard food security, end hunger, and promote
the efficient use of the country’s food resources.

Towards this end, the State shall adopt a system to promote, facilitate, and ensure
the reduction of food waste through redistribution and recycling, The massive
‘amount of food waste and the considerable number of people going hungry dally is a
breach that this Act intends to correct.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall
mean:

a. Food insecure — persons or group of persons who have difficulty producing or
purchasing food to avoid hunger


b. Edible food waste — food discarded in the retail and consumption stages,
determined to be fit for consumption based on standards set by the National
Nutrition Council

c. Food waste reduction — the decrease of food waste generation, the
redistribution of food waste to the food insecure or the recycling of food as
fertilizer or compost

d. Food-related businesses — public and private businesses involved in the
manufacturing and processing of food products (i.e. food manufacturers),
private businesses involved in the wholesaling and retailing of food products
(i.e. supermarkets), and private businesses involved in serving food product
(i.e. restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels)

e. Food banks — non-profit, charitable or other social mission-driven
organizations that distribute food to the food insecure

f. Inedible food waste — food discarded in the retail and consumption stages,
determined to be unfit for consumption based on standards set by the
National Nutrition Council

g. Waste management and recycling enterprises — organizations that manage
inedible food waste by converting there into fertilizers or compost

SECTION 4. National Zero Food Waste Campaign. - The National Nutrition
Council (NNC), in close coordination with the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI), the Department of Health (DOH), other concerned agencies and
Local Government Units (LGUs), is hereby tasked to undertake a National Zero Food
Waste Campaign to raise awareness about the consequences of wasted food, the
Zero Food Waste Act, and the food waste reduction efforts required of food-related
businesses and households through the LGUs. The Campaign shall also promote
the food waste reduction hierarchy, and recommend means of reducing individual
food waste.

DepEd shall have the duty to ensure that the education curriculum includes materials
‘on the current global and national food waste situation, on ways to reduce food
waste, on national and local food waste prevention programs, and regarding the


provisions of this Act. DTI shall encourage food-related businesses to purchase
lower-price, non-standard size or shape produce to be used in their food products.

SECTION 5. Food-related Business Waste Reduction Strategy. — Food-related
businesses such as food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias, and
hotels are hereby required to:

a. Submit an initial report to the DSWD and DENR that contains data on the
amount (in tons) of its edible and inedible food waste in the past year,
organized according to the manner of disposal, including donation,
composting or discarding

b. Submit an annual report to the DSWD and DENR that contains data on the
amount (in tons) of its edible and inedible food waste in the immediately
precedent year, organized according to the manner of disposal, including
donation, composting, or discarding.

c. Enter into a contract with food banks to redistribute edible food waste to the
food insecure

d. Shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from business location to
the food bank's warehouse or distribution center.

e. Ensure that edible food waste is unadulterated and in good condition upon
arrival at the food bank's distribution center.

f. Enter into a contract with waste management and recycling enterprises to
recycle inedible food waste into fertilizer or compost.

9g. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste from collection areas to
waste management sites.

h, Reach and maintain food waste levels at the target set by the DENR.

SECTION 6. National Zero Food Waste Scheme. - DSWD, as the coordinating
agency between the food businesses and food banks, shall:

a. Provide guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and distribution
of edible food donated to food banks.

b. Ensure that food businesses have entered into contracts with food banks and
issue acceptance certificates to food businesses.


c. Promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a community-
based food distribution system for the food insecure.

d. Create a Self-Sufficiency Program that will provide the food insecure with
skills training on managing food banks and livelihood programs to avoid the
dependence on donation solely.

SECTION 7. Household and Local Government Unit Waste Reduction Strategy.
= LGUs are hereby required to:

a. Submit an initial report that contains data on the amount (in tons) of inedible
food waste that can be recycled as raw material for fertilizers or comport to
DENR.

b. Submit an annual report that contains data on the amount (in tons) of inedible
food waste that has been recycled as raw material for fertilizers or compost to
the DENR.

c. Initiate waste segregation efforts per household through local campaigns.

d. Enter into a contract with waste management and recycling enterprises to
recycle inedible food waste from households into fertilizer or compost.

e. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste form collection areas to
waste management sites.

f. Reach and maintain inedible food waste levels at the target set by DENR.

SECTION 8. Penal Provisions/Penalties. - The penalty of prision correccional will
be imposed on any individual, private or public, who deliberately makes food waste
unfit for consumption. The same penalty is applicable to private or public actors who
prevent the redirection of edible food waste to food banks or inedible food waste to
waste management and recycling enterprises.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the National Nutrition Council, in coordination with the
Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources, the Department of Education, the Department of Trade and
Industry, the Department of Health, and other relevant government agencies, shall


promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of
this Act.

SECTION 10. Periodic Review. - The implementing agencies shall submit an
annual report to Congress on the progress in the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 11. Appropriations. - The funds needed to implement this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions hereof.

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,