Press Release - Jinggoy wants food manufacturers, establishments to donate excess edible food to food banks

SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has filed a bill seeking to require food manufacturers and establishments, such as restaurants, cafes, diners, fast food chains, hotels, supermarkets, and culinary schools, to donate their excess edible food for charitable purposes.

"Nakakalungkot malaman na napakaraming pagkain ang nasasayang habang marami rin sa ating mga kababayan ang nagugutom," Estrada said, noting the most recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey showing an increase in the number of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger - 14.2 percent in March 2024 compared to 12.6 percent in December last year.

Involuntary hunger, according to the SWS, refers to experiencing hunger and not having access to food at least once in the past three months.

Figures reported by the Sustainability Solutions Exchange (SSX) under the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), show 88 kilograms of food is wasted by an average Filipino every year, and more than 35 percent of food waste comes not from households but from the food service and retail sector.

Estrada's Senate Bill No. 1644, the proposed Food Surplus Reduction Act, seeks to adopt a system to promote, facilitate, and ensure the reduction of food surplus through redistribution and recycling.

Under the bill, owners of covered establishments must segregate their edible from inedible food surplus. A duly trained sanitary inspector from the local government unit (LGU) will check and assess before approving if the edible food is fit for consumption before donating it to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-accredited food banks.

The DSWD-accredited food banks will distribute the edible food surplus to those in need, in coordination with the LGUs.

The DSWD shall provide the guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and distribution of edible food donated to food banks.

Estrada's bill includes a provision creating a self-sufficiency program for the intended beneficiaries to have skills training in managing food banks and livelihood programs to avoid dependency on donations.

Also, a liability protection clause is included to protect food donors