The House of Representatives Special Committee on Food Security recently approved the Food Waste Reduction Act, a measure comprised of 14 consolidated bills that seek to reduce food waste.
Negros Occidental sixth district Rep. Genaro Alvarez, Jr. serves as vice chairman of the special committee.
The bill, which is principally authored by Abono partylist Rep. Conrado Estrella III, seeks to recognize that “each person has a right to an adequate standard of living; including sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.”
Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan introduced a similar bill before the Senate last July.
“This staggering food wastage exists at the same time as people around the world
are suffering and dying from hunger,” the bill noted. “In order to achieve food security, end hunger, and promote the efficient use of the country’s food resources, this proposed legislation seeks to prohibit food-related businesses such as grocery stores, fast food outlets, and restaurants from throwing away edible food surplus and enjoin them to donate said food to food banks or charities.”/WDJ