NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC )
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No.__1650
Senate
23 JAN 11 P5:39
V
Mttivaift /T\
Introduced by: Senator Raffy T. Tulfo
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF REDISTRIBUTING AND RECYCLING 
FOOD WASTE TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY
Explanatoiy Note
Food waste refers to food that is fit for consumption but consciously discarded 
at the retail or consumption phases. It is not just a social or humanitarian concern, 
but it is an environmental one. When food is wasted, we also waste all the energy and 
water it takes to grow, harvest, transport, and package it. It contributes to climate 
change since food left in landfills, use releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas 
25 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Methane gas lingers for 12 years and traps 
heat from the sun. Our irresponsible use of food products has adverse impact on the 
physical land itself. Moreover, it harms the biodiversity of the environment's 
ecosystem.
According to the United National on Sustainable Development, too much food is being 
lost or wasted in the world. Despite, ranking 69TH in the Global Hunger Index, 86.2% 
of the biodegradable waste of the Philippines is food waste due to inadequate 
transportation and storage facilities. The World Wildlife Fund-Phils. Reported that an 
estimated 2, 175 tons of food scraps in Metro-Manila alone are thrown away daily. 
Food waste undermines the sustainability of our food systems. Our food systems 
cannot be resilient if they are not sustainable. Hence, there is a necessity to adopt 
integrated approaches designed to reduce food waste. Global and local measures are 
necessary to maximize the use of the food we produce. The introduction of 
technologies, innovative solutions, new ways of working and good practices designed 
to manage the quality of food so to reduce food waste are key to transformative 
change.
Globally, reducing food waste is deemed as a key initiative in achieving a sustainable 
food future.


This bill therefore seeks to mitigate the food waste in our country though the creation 
of a National Zero Food Waste Campaign. The campaign shall focus on responsible 
production and consumption of food. Various social media^platf&rms.^an be deployed 
to promote awareness around food waste and create more sustainabfesfood systems. 
The concerted efforts of various government agencies ^re needed in ca^aigning for 
food security until it is integrated and institutionalized ip our foq^l'^yster
FFY T.7ULFO 
tor


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC )
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Senate Bill No. IboO
Senate
23 jwni P5 39
IWiwttfft
Introduced by: Senator Raffy T. Tulfo
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
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Zero Food Waste Act."
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes that each person has a right 
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 wasted and the considerable number of people going hungry daily is a breach 
that this Act intends to correct.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean:
a. Food insecure - persons or groups 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 business - public and private businesses involved in the 
manufacturing and processing of food products (i.e. food manufacturers), private


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businesses involved the wholesaling and retailing of food products (i.e. supermarkets), 
and private businesses involved in serving food products (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.
e. Waste management and recycling enterprises - organizations that mange 
inedible food waste by converting these into fertilizers or compost.
SEC. 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, it of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), 
the Department of Health (DOH), and other concerned agencies and Local 
Government Units (LGUs), is hereby tasked to undertake a National Zero Food Waste 
Campaign, and the food waste reduction efforts required of food-related businesses 
and households through 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. TI shall encourage food-related business to purchase lower- 
price, non-standard size or shape produce to be used in their food products.
SEC. 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 DEN 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;


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d. Shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from business location 
to the food bank's warehouse or distribution center;
e. Ensure that the 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;
g. Shoulder the costs of transporting inedible food waste from collection areas 
to waste management sites; and
h. Reach and maintain food waste levels at the target set by the DENR.
SEC. 6. National Zero Food Waste Scheme. - DSWD, as the coordinating agency 
between the food business an 1 good 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 certificated to food businesses;
c. Promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a community-based 
food distribution system for the food insecure; and
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.
SEC. 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 compost to the DENR;
b. Submit an annual 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 
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 from collection areas 
to waste management sites; and
f. Reach and maintain inedible food waste levels at the target set by DENR.


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SEC. 8. Tax Incentive -Food related businesses that donate edible food to food 
banks shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as an 
allowable deduction from their gross income in accordance with the provisions of the 
National Internal Revenue Code, as amended.
SEC. 9. Pena! Provisions/Penalties. - The penalty of prison correcciona! 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.
SEC. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the NNC, in coordination with the DSWD, DENR, DepEd, DTI, 
DOH, and other relevant government agencies, shall promulgate the necessary rules 
and regulations
Approved,