The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) is pushing for the implementation of a city ordinance requiring food establishments to offer half-cup rice servings, saying it could help reduce food wastage and promote better health.
Lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan, DA-CAR regional director, said Wednesday the measure is a practical step to address rice wastage, adding that a significant portion of post-harvest rice losses come from the food service industry.
“Gusto ko yan, much of post-harvest losses are from restaurants (I like it because much of the post-harvest losses are from restaurants),” she said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
She is hopeful that the city government will strictly implement Ordinance 16-17, passed in 2017, mandating all food establishments in Baguio to include a half-cup rice option priced at half the cost of a regular serving.
The ordinance also mandates that failure to comply carries penalties ranging from PHP1,000 to PHP5,000 and potential cancellation of business permits on the third offense.
Data from PhilRice shows rice wastage in households dropped to 255,000 metric tons in 2019 from 340,000 in 2009. However, figures exclude restaurant losses, which may push actual wastage higher.
Beyond food waste, health-conscious individuals like 72-year-old Antonio Domesag support the measure to manage dietary intake.
“I only eat a few spoonfuls of rice. It’s for my health—and for the farmers who grow it,” he said. (PNA)
