TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, 
BRYAN B. REVILLA and RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III 
AN ACT  
REQUIRING ALL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS TO INCLUDE HALF-CUP SERVINGS 
OF RICE AS A MENU OPTION, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION 
THEREOF 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The concerning statistic of food-hungry Filipino households (1) impels us to look into all 
possible sources and reasons for food wastage, an irony that slaps us in the face as a 
nation.  Though we were once the region's biggest rice producer, the sad turnaround 
into the world's biggest rice importer in 2023, overtaking even China (2) further 
underscores the importance of minimizing if not totally eliminating food waste. 
According to  the Philippine Rice Research Institute, an estimated P7.2 billion worth of 
rice is wasted in the Philippines in a year. According to Bernadette Reyes' report on "24 
Oras", each consumer in the country wastes at least two tablespoons of rice a day and 
the wastage can feed over two million annually.(3) 
In many households, rice wastage happens even if the family members are free to 
determine/get their portion. In restaurants and similar establishments, some customers 
do not finish their rice servings whether or not intentionally, and it is a travesty to see 
this thrown in trash due to lack of national redirection efforts and policy. Further, children 
and individuals with meager appetites are unable to finish a whole cup of rice in their 
meals, likewise leading to wastage. 
While some establishments already offer a half-cup serving as an option, many do not. 
This bill thus requires all food establishments to offer the half-cup serving as an option 
in their menu, with the corresponding and reasonable price, to give each only what they 
can finish, and thus reduce the occurrence of food wastage. 
This measure is long overdue and much needed, and for this reason its passage is 
urgently sought. 
(1) According to PSA, there were approximately 740,000 food-poor Filipino families
(2) https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/why-philippines-is-worlds-top-rice-
importer-a2556-20240703-lfrm
August 28, 2025
9:41 am
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(3) https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/866761/philrice-p7-2-billion-
worth-of-rice-in-ph-goes-to-waste-in-a-year/story/
REP. LANI MERCADO - REVILLA , MSLG, DM (hc) 
Representative 
2nd District of Cavite  
REP. BRYAN B. REVILLA 
 REP. RAMON JOLO REVILLA III 
Representative 
Representative 
  AGIMAT Partylist 
1st District of Cavite 


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, BRYAN B. REVILLA 
and RAMON JOLO B. REVILLA III 
AN ACT  
REQUIRING ALL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS TO INCLUDE HALF-CUP SERVINGS 
OF RICE AS A MENU OPTION, AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION 
THEREOF 
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. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
be defined as below: 
(a) Food establishments - shall refer to establishments that prepare and sell food
directly to consumers for immediate food consumption, whether indoor or
outdoor, such as restaurants, commissaries, cafeterias, cafes, fast food
establishments, food courts, and other similar establishments;
(b) Half-cup rice - shall refer to a serving of approximately 100 grams of cooked
rice
SEC. 3. Requiring Food Establishments to Include Half-cup Servings of Rice in 
their Menu Option. - All food establishments are hereby required to include a half-cup 
serving of rice as an option in their menus. 
SEC. 4. Penalties. - Any food establishment found violating this Act shall be 
meted fines as follows: FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (PhP5,000.00) for the first offense; 
TEN THOUSAND PESOS (PhP10,000.00) for the second offense; and TWENTY 
THOUSAND PESOS (PhP20,000.00) for the third and succeeding offense. On the third 
and succeeding offenses, the license to operate shall be suspended for a period not 
exceeding thirty (30) days. 
SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Trade and 
Industry (DTI) shall, in consultation with the concerned government agencies and 
stakeholders, promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within sixty 
(60) days from its effectivity.
SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances, or 
parts thereof that are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed accordingly. 
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SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,