One in five Filipino families still endure the pain of involuntary hunger, according to a recent survey. Yet, food wastage is a problem in the country; 2,175 tons of food wasted daily, according to Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) data.

A solution to this sad reality is what HB No. 2196 or the proposed Food Waste Reduction Act filed by FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List Rep. Brian Poe on Dec. 1, aims to address. The bill aims to establish 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. This is expected to address the fear of legal repercussions which may result from donated food that may spoil during the process.

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

There should be no delay in passing the proposed Food Wastage Act. It will not only provide food and meals to the hungry, it will also contribute to reducing food waste that has become a big factor in our solid waste management problem.

We can learn from the ways food waste was reduced during the Paris Olympics and the Paralympics in 2024. Meticulous planning and focused cooperation between NGOs and government agencies made the endeavour successful.

One of the Games’s six social and environmental commitments was to “recycle 100 percent of uneaten food,” primarily by donating them to charities to support those who need it most. Partnerships were made with three French charities to redistribute any unsold and unconsumed food. Tons of food were donated which were passed on to food banks across France, enough to make around 100,000 meals.

Data showed that 10 million people in France do not have enough food to eat, according to Valerie de Margerie, president of Le Chainon Manquant, one of the charities receiving food donations from the Games.

The same problem exists in the UK where the use of food banks saw a record high as the cost of living crisis affected many families. There are many ways to help reduce food waste, though, like mobile apps that direct unwanted food to local shops.

There are also more than 600 Community Fridges across the UK that offer free, fresh food to those who need it.

Reducing food waste by redirecting it to organizations working to feed the poor is a good venue for social responsibility programs. At the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games, there were groups who segregated unwanted food like those that can be recycled and used as ingredients for another meal, or food that can be redistributed to stores that distribute to the poor.

For example, there were groups that provided mobility for bringing the food stuff from the Olympic village cafeterias to the NGO offices and assembly areas. There were chefs and cooks who volunteered to recycle ingredients into a new meal. There were volunteers who helped keep the operations running. There is much to do in helping reduce food wastage. Interested individuals, community groups, or corporations can look into this operation as a social responsibility program. (Email: [email protected])