| HOUSE W REPRESENTATIVES

WECEIVED
Republic of the Philippine: pate:_11 AUG 2016
HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT WNP: “Oram
Quezon City uy R
SEVENTEENTH CONG!
REQ'STR ATION UNIT

First Regular Session

BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

HOUSE BILL NO. _2855

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT REQUIRING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, INNS, CANTEENS,
STEAKHOUSES, EATERIES AND THE LIKE TO PUT HALF RICE ON THEIR.
MENUS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rice is the staple food of the Filipinos. Data from the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute (FNRI), however, show that each Filipino wastes an average of three (3)
tablespoons or nine (9) grams of rice daily, which is equivalent to 3.3 kilos per year.

According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRD, with "94 million and
49 grams of wasted rice per day, the total wastage is 308,000 tons, which is 36 percent of
2011 rice imports. The said rice wastage translates to at least US$535,000 (23 million
pesos) every day or $223 million a year, an amount sufficient to feed 4.3 million people.

The Philippines is an agricultural country. Ironically, the country is also the world's
biggest importer of rice for several years. To date, the government is implementing
various programs to attain rice self-sufficiency, which remains an elusive goal.

Under Proclamation No. 494, series of 2012 which declared the year 2013 as the
national year of rice, it was explained that "a sustained and-nationwide campaign to
boost farmers’ morale and motivate them to adopt technologies to further improve farm
productivity and encourage the general public to be responsible rice consumers are
necessary to complement the government's efforts to achieve rice self-sufficiency.”

This bill, which was originally sponsored by Senator Ferdinand Marcos. Jr. during
the previous Congress, seeks to penalize the practice of some restaurants, hotels, inns,
canteens, steakhouses, eateries and the like of refusing to serve order of rice from a
customer if it be less than one (1) cup. This measure will considerably reduce rice
wastage on these business establishments by letting their customers to order just the
right amount of rice that they can consume.

Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested.

ANGELINA wnednltrs. TAN, M.D.
4" District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2855

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT REQUIRING RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, INNS, CANTEENS,
STEAKHOUSES, EATERIES AND THE LIKE TO PUT HALF RICE ON THEIR:
MENUS, 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 "Anti-Rice Wastage
Act."

SEC. 2. Requiring the Putting of Half Rice on the Menu. ~ All restaurants, hotels,
inns, canteens, steakhouses, eateries and the like are hereby directed to put half rice on
their menus. Accordingly, said establishments are required to charge their customers
half the price for the half rice they are serving.

For purposes of this Act, the term “half rice” shall mean one half (1/2) cup of the
one full cup of rice that a food service establishment must serve upon the order of a
customer.

SEC. 3. Penalties. - Any business establishment who is found violating this Act
shall be meted a fine in the amount of Twenty Thousand Pesos (Php20,000.00) for the
first offense; Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) for the Second Offense; and One
Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php100,000.00) for the Third and succeeding offense.

SEC. 4. Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Trade and Industry shall
sue the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,