Establishments reminded of half-rice serving ordinance

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture is reminding anew food establishments in Cebu City to strictly implement the ordinance that mandates the inclusion of half-rice servings in their menu. 

This is in line with the celebration of Rice Awareness Month, which calls for the public to be part of the advocacy of being “riceponsible.”

Cherryl dela Victoria, information officer of the Department of Agriculture-7, lamented that despite the Cebu City Ordinance requiring all establishments in the food serving industry to include half-rice servings in their menu, this has not been fully implemented.

“Wala gyud kaayo ni na-implement. That is why we are encouraging local government units to support our campaign to stop rice wastage,” Dela Victoria said.

Businesses in Cebu City such as restaurants, schools operating canteens, offices, hospitals, cafeterias, catering operations, fast-food chains and other food-related services are included in this rice conservation measure.

“We also urge local government units to pass similar ordinance for a wider dissemination and information among their constituents,” Dela Victoria added.

National Food Authority-7 information officer Mary Agnes Militante said every Filipino wastes at least two tablespoon of rice per day, which will translate to P27 million per day or around P10 billion per year.

“Grabe gyud ang atong rice wastage. We have to be ‘riceponsible’,” said Militante during the Kapihan sa PIA forum yesterday.

The Cebu City-approved ordinance was in compliance with Presidential Decree 494 signed by President Benigno Aquino III on October 18, 2012 “Declaring the Year 2013 as the National Year of Rice and Directing the Department of Agriculture to lead its Celebration.”

The decree was signed “pursuant to the government’s aim to encourage the general public to be responsible rice consumers in order to complement the government’s efforts to achieve rice self-sufficiency,” the decree reads.

Meanwhile, Militante said that Central Visayas remains to be rice-sufficient, as six vessels containing 52,100 metric tons of rice from Vietnam and Thailand started to arrive last month and will continue to do so until March of next year.

“This rice importation is part of our preparation for the El Niño phenomenon,” said Militante.

Dela Victoria said that the Philippines continues to import rice as it is only 32 percent rice sufficient in terms of production.

As part of its Rice Awareness Month, DA-7 will have a Zumba for Rice and Run for Rice this coming Friday. — (FREEMAN)