Food wastage should have no place in a society where approximately one out of five Filipino families experience hunger.

With this reasoning, FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List Rep. Brian Poe aggressively pushed for the passage of his pet measure, House Bill (HB) No. 2196 or the proposed Food Waste Reduction Act.

“We are faced with a shameful paradox: perfectly edible food is discarded daily while approximately one in five Filipino families still endure the pain of involuntary hunger. We must correct this moral outrage where the hungry walk past overflowing dumpsters," Poe said as he sponsored HB No.2196 on Monday, Dec. 1.

To justify the measure, Poe cited recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) data which showed that about one in five Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger.

The bill establishes a nationwide system requiring food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and culinary schools to segregate edible surplus and donate it to accredited food banks.

These donations would undergo inspection by local government unit (LGU) health officials before being distributed by food banks in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DSWD) and local governments.

The proposal also mandates LGUs to recycle inedible food waste and partner with waste management enterprises to convert it into fertilizer or compost—an effort meant to reduce landfill waste and support agricultural production.

A key provision in HB No.2196 provides full liability protection to certified food donors once their surplus is handed over to accredited food banks or farms. Lawmakers backing the measure say this addresses one of the biggest reasons businesses hesitate to donate: the fear of legal repercussions.

Poe emphasized the significance of the clause. He said the bill “removes the primary legal deterrent” that prevents surplus food from reaching communities that need it most.

For inedible food waste, the bill tasks LGUs with coordinating waste management partnerships to convert discarded material into agricultural inputs.

“This act requires [LGUs] to coordinate with waste management enterprises to transform what is currently garbage into valuable resources—specifically, nutrient-rich fertilizers and compost,” Poe said.

He emphasized that this approach “cleans our communities, supports our agricultural sector, and contributes significantly to a truly circular economy".

The Pangasinan-based solon said the measure is ultimately about responsible consumption and the efficient use of national resources, stressing that food surplus—whether edible or inedible—can be turned into something beneficial if properly managed.

“This is not a partisan issue; it is a human issue,” he said, as he urged his colleagues to support the bill’s immediate passage.