NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No._______ 
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr. 
AN ACT  
PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF REDISTRIBUTING AND RECYCLING FOOD 
WASTE TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to a 2021 Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, it is estimated that 11.8 
percent of Filipino families or an estimated three million experienced “involuntary” hunger 
due to lack of food. 1 Corollary thereto, data from the Integrated Food Security Phase
Classification (IPC)  from 2015 to 2020 shows that around 64% of the population nationwide 
which accounts for 54.9 million Filipinos are chronically food insecure.2 In addition, the
2020 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, the Philippines recorded the 
most number of food insecure people in Southeast Asia in 2017 to 2019, with 59 million 
Filipinos suffering from moderate to severe lack of consistent access to food.3 It is evident
from the above that food security is an overarching issue in our country that needs to be 
addressed. 
Thus, this bill seeks to enhance food security in the country and improve the lives of 
the populace by establishing food banks and providing for guidelines regarding the 
collection, storage, and distribution of edible food donated to food banks. Food banks will 
augment hunger and drastically reduce the volume of food waste. This bill also mandates that 
inedible food waste should be made into fertilizers.  
In line with the policy adopted by its original proponent Senator Loren Legarda, this 
bill therefore likewise serves as a counter-part House Bill. It is for the reasons stated above 
that the passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
HON. ANTONIO B. LEGARDA JR. 
1 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170725 
2 https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1044577/ 
3 https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/fao-legislative-advisory-group-philippines-flag-ph-initiative 
August 2, 2022
4:56 pm
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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No._______ 
Introduced by Hon. Antonio B. Legarda Jr. 
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 of 
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2022.” 
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Sec. 2.  Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes that each person has a right to 
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an adequate standard of living, including sufficient food. It is hereby declared a policy of the 
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State to safeguard food security, end hunger, and promote the efficient use of the country’s 
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food resources. 
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Towards this end, the State shall adopt a system to promote, facilitate, and ensure the 
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reduction of food waste through redistribution and recycling. The massive amount of food 
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wasted and the considerable number of people going hungry daily is a breach that this Act 
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intends to correct. 
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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
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a.
Food insecure – persons or groups of persons who have difficulty producing
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or purchasing food to avoid hunger
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b. Edible food waste – food discarded in the retail and consumption stages,
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determined to be fit for consumption based on standards set by the National
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Nutrition Council
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c.
Food waste reduction – the decrease of food waste generation, the
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redistribution of food waste to the food insecure or the recycling of food as
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fertilizer or compost
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d. Food-related businesses – public and private businesses involved in the 
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manufacturing and processing of food products (i.e. food manufacturers), 
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private businesses involved in the wholesaling and retailing of food products 
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(i.e. restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels) 
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e. Food banks – non-profit, charitable or other social mission-driven 
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organizations that distribute food to the food insecure 
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f. Inedible food waste – food discarded in the retail and consumption stages, 
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determined to be unfit for consumption based on standards set by the National 
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Nutrition Council 
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g. Waste management and recycling enterprises – organizations that manage 
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inedible food waste by converting these into fertilizers or compost. 
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Sec. 4. National Zero Food Waste Campaign. – The National Nutrition Council 
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(NCC), in close coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
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(DENR), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of 
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Education (DepEd), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Health 
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(DOH), other concerned agencies and Local Government Units (LGUs), is hereby tasked to 
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undertake a National Zero Food Waste Campaign to raise awareness about the Zero Food 
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Waste Act, the consequences of wasted food, and the food waste reduction efforts required of 
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food-related business and households through the LGUs. The Campaign shall also promote 
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the food waste reduction hierarchy and recommend means of reducing individual food waste.  
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DepEd shall have the duty to ensure that the education curriculum includes materials 
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on the current global and national food waste situation, ways to reduce food waste, national 
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and local food waste prevention programs, and the provisions of this Act. DTI shall 
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encourage food-related businesses to purchase lower-price, non-standard size or shape 
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produce to be used in their food products. 
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Sec. 5. Food-related Business Waste Reduction Strategy. – Food-related businesses 
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such as food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels are hereby 
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required to: 
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a. Submit an initial report to the DSWD and DENR that contains data on the 
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amount (in tons) of its edible and inedible food waste in the past year, 
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organized according to the manner of disposal, including donation, 
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composting or discarding. 
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b. Submit an initial report to the DSWD and DENR that contains data on the 
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amount (in tons) of its edible and inedible food waste in the immediate 
2 
precedent year, organized according to the manner of disposal, including 
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donation, composting or discarding. 
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c. Enter into a contract with food banks to redistribute edible food waste to the 
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food insecure. 
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d. Shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from the business location 
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to the food bank’s warehouse or distribution center. 
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e. Ensure that edible food waste is unadulterated and in good condition upon 
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arrival at the food bank’s distribution center. 
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f. Enter into a contract with waste management and recycling enterprises to 
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recycle inedible food waste into fertilizer or compost.  
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g. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste from collection areas to 
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waste management sites. 
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h. Reach and maintain food waste levels at the target set by the DENR. 
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Sec. 6. National Zero Food Waste Scheme. – DSWD, as the coordinating agency 
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between the food businesses and food banks, shall: 
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a. Provide guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and distribution of 
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edible food donated to food banks. 
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b. Ensure that the food businesses have entered into contracts with food banks 
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and issue acceptance certificates to food businesses. 
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c. Promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a community-based 
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food distribution system for the food insecure. 
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d. Create a Self-Sufficiency Program that will provide the food insecure with 
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skills training on managing food banks and livelihood programs to avoid the 
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dependence on donations solely. 
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Sec. 7. Household and Local Government Unit Waste Reduction Strategy.  – LGUs 
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are hereby required to: 
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a. Submit an initial report that contains data on the amount (in tons) of inedible 
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food waste that can be recycled as raw material for fertilizers or compost to 
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DENR. 
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b. Submit an initial report that contains data on the amount (in tons) of inedible 
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food waste that has been recycled as raw material for fertilizers or compost to 
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DENR. 
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c. Initiate waste segregation efforts per household through local campaigns. 
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d. Enter into a contract with waste management and recycling enterprises to 
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recycle inedible food waste from households into fertilizer or compost. 
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e. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste from collection areas to 
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waste management sites. 
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f. Reach and maintain inedible food waste levels at the target set by DENR. 
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Sec. 8. Penal Provisions/Penalties. – The penalty of prison correccional will be 
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imposed on any individual, private or public, who deliberately makes food waste unfit for 
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consumption. The same penalty is applicable to private or public actors who prevent the 
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redirection of edible food waste to food banks or inedible food waste to waste management 
10 
and recycling enterprises. 
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Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the 
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effectivity of this Act, the National Nutrition Council, in coordination with the Department of 
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Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Environment and Natural 
14 
Resources (DENR), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Trade and 
15 
Industry (DTI), the Department of Health (DOH), and other relevant government agencies, 
16 
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this 
17 
Act.  
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Sec. 10. Periodic Review.  – The implementing agencies shall submit an annual report 
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to Congress on the progress in the implementation of this Act. 
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Sec. 11. Appropriations. – The funds needed to implement this Act shall be included 
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in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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Sec. 12. Separability Clause. – Should any part or provision of this Act be declared 
24 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not otherwise affected thereby 
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shall remain in full force and effect. 
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Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations 
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or any part thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed, 
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amended or modified accordingly. 
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Sec. 14. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect upon publication in the Official 
30 
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved,