a: PRESESS

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2186

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE LOREN B. LEGARDA

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF REDISTRIBUTING AND RECYCLING FOOD
WASTE TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The problem of food security and food waste in the country is evidently rising.
The practice of “pagpag” or recooked food that was recovered from garbage is
widespread in the Filipino households who cannot afford three square meals daily. In
a recent Social Weather Station Survey, 19 million Filipinos or 19% of the country’s
total population experiences hunger and 10 million of which are experiencing severe
hunger. The current chronic malnutrition rate among Filipino children aged 0 to 2 is
at 26.2% which is highest in ten years, according to a recent study by the Food and

Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).

In a survey by the FNRI in 2015, 43 grams of rice daily for each Filipino
household. At 22.975 million Filipino households, according to the latest PSA data,
the country wastes around 987,952 kg of rice daily. With the current data of rice

waste, it could at least feed 4.3 million Filipinos per year.

Our country is rich in resources of food, yet 13 million Filipinos cannot afford 3

meals a day. The excess edible supply of food must be highlighted and utilized in


order to feed the millions of hungry Filipinos. This would help alleviate not only the

problem in food security but also in food waste.

In view of the foregoing considerations, approval of this bill is earnestly

‘sought.

—— Loren LEGARDA


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Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2186

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE LOREN B. LEGARDA

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 right to an adequate standard of living, including 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 wasted and the considerable number of people going

hungry daily is a breach that this Act intends to correct.

SECTION 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 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 (ie. food
manufacturers), private businesses involved in the wholesaling and
retailing of food products (i.e. restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels).

e. Food banks — non-profit, charitable or other social mission-driven
organization 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 these into fertilizers or

compost.

SECTION 4. National Zero Food Waste Campaign. — The National Nutrition
Council (NCC), 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),


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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 business
and households through the LGUs. The Campaign shall also promote the
food waste reduction hierarchy, and recommend means of reducing individual
food waste.

Dep Ed 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
business 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 initial report to the DSWD and DENR that contains data on
the amount (in tons) of its edible and inedible food waste in the
immediate precedent year, organized according to the manner of

disposal, including donation, composting or discarding.


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

2 to the food insecure.
3 d. Shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from business
4 location to the food bank's warehouse or distribution center.
5 e. Ensure that edible food waste is unadulterated and in good condition
6 upon arrival at the food bank's distribution center.
7 f. Enter into a contract with waste management and recycling enterprises
8 to recycle inedible food waste into fertilizer or compost.
9 g. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste from collection
10 areas to waste management sites.
1 h. Reach and maintain food waste levels at the target set by the DENR.
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13 SECTION 6. National Zero Food Waste Scheme. — DSWD, as the
14 coordinating agency between the food businesses and food banks, shall:
15 a. Provide guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and
16 distribution of edible food donated to food banks.
7 b. Ensure that the food businesses have entered into contracts with food
18 banks and issue acceptance certificates to food businesses.
19 c. Promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a
20 community-based food distribution system for the food insecure.
21 d. Create a Self-Sufficiency Program that will provide the food insecure
22 with skills training on managing food banks and livelihood programs to
23 avoid the dependence on donation solely.
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25 SECTION 7. Household and Local Government Unit Waste Reduction

26 Strategy. — LGUs are hereby required to:


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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 compost to DENR.

b. Submit an initial 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 DENR.

©. 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 from 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 prison 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 (DSWD), the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department


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of Education (DepEd), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the
Department of Health (DOH), 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. — Should any part or provision of this Act
be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not

otherwise affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decreed, executive orders, rules,
and regulation or any part thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions

of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 14. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect upon publication in the

Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,