To reduce significant rice waste in the nation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is working to resurrect a measure that would require restaurants to provide half a cup of rice.
The Philippines' present rice waste levels could feed 2.8 million Filipinos per year, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., who called for increased action to reduce rice waste in the country.
“Imagine, the rice we waste in a year is enough to sustain millions of families. This highlights the need to revisit the ‘half-cup rice’ proposal to encourage more responsible consumption,” Tiu Laurel said.
Call from over a decade ago
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched the "half-cup rice" campaign in 2013 to encourage serving smaller quantities to cut down on waste and increase meal variety.
Household rice waste dropped from 340,000 metric tons in 2009 to 255,000 metric tons in 2019, according to data from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
An average Filipino household wastes 53 grams of cooked rice per day, or 6.4 grams of uncooked rice per person, according to a 2018–2019 Food and Nutrition Research Institute survey. The amount may be larger because the data does not include waste from restaurants and other establishments.
Could address health concerns
According to the International Diabetes Federation, one in 14 Filipinos had diabetes in 2021, and the country's food--which is primarily composed of white rice--has been connected to the rising prevalence of diabetes in the country.
Smaller servings could potentially address health issues, according to Dr. John de Leon, Executive Director of PhilRice.
“Serving half a cup of rice reduces waste and promotes healthier, more balanced diets,” he said.
