Cebu summit seeks to rescue surplus food

MANILA, Philippines — Food banking advocates are seeking stronger partnerships with hotels, manufacturers, retailers and other establishments to rescue surplus food and redirect it to communities in need.

The initiative was highlighted during a food banking summit in Cebu on Wednesday, October 14, which aimed to raise awareness about food banking and encourage more stakeholders to participate in efforts to reduce food waste and address hunger.

Cebu Province health consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole Baricuatro Catalan-Vizcayno, executive director of Simply Share Foundation, said the summit focused on educating stakeholders about food banking and existing food recovery initiatives in Cebu.

She said the gathering also provided an opportunity to explore ways to strengthen collaboration among businesses, food donors and organizations serving communities experiencing food insecurity.

One of the key challenges, she said, is changing the mindset of establishments that routinely discard surplus food, particularly those in the hospitality industry.

Jomar Fleras, executive director of Rise Against Hunger, said food recovery operations generally focus on surplus ingredients and food kept in hotel kitchens or commissaries rather than food already displayed on buffet tables, where food safety concerns may arise.

He said hotels can work with food banks to adjust food preparation and storage practices so suitable surplus food can be recovered before it becomes unsafe for consumption.

For instance, keeping pasta and sauce separate until serving time can help extend the period during which the ingredients can be safely handled and recovered.

Vizcayno said some establishments also turn surplus ingredients into other dishes, while others provide dedicated refrigeration facilities where recovered food can be stored until collection.

She emphasized that food safety remains a primary consideration, adding that prepared food may also be accepted when properly frozen or refrigerated and handled according to applicable safety requirements.

Fleras said food banking operates through different models, including warehouse-based recovery of goods nearing their expiration dates from manufacturers and retailers, recovery of prepared food from hotels, and virtual food banking.

Under the virtual food banking model, donors are linked with local organizations that can receive and distribute surplus food without the coordinating organization having to physically transport the goods.

For instance, when a manufacturer reports surplus food available in Cebu, the coordinating organization contacts a local partner to determine whether it can accept the donation. Once confirmed, the parties arrange the pickup directly, avoiding unnecessary transportation between Cebu and Manila.

Fleras cited the collaboration between Rise Against Hunger and Simply Share as an example of how organizations can work together to facilitate food recovery and distribution.

He said the proposed Food Waste Reduction and Prevention Act has already passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting further action in the Senate before it can become law.

House Bill No. 8043 secured 247 votes in favor on its third and final reading in March 2026.

Senate Bill No. 1378, meanwhile, was introduced by Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito in September 2025.

Fleras said the Senate version still needs to be consolidated with the House measure before the proposed legislation can proceed to the next stages of the legislative process.

“It's already been passed in Congress almost unanimously, last March, 2026,” Fleras said, referring to the House bill.

He said the measure's passage would give food banks stronger policy support and establish food banking as part of a broader system for addressing hunger and food waste.

“Well, the bill will require whole food manufacturers, restaurants, hotels, even culinary schools, to donate their surplus food to food banks certified by the SWD,” said Fleras

Under House Bill No. 8043, covered establishments would be required to adopt food waste prevention plans, separate edible surplus from inedible food and direct safe surplus to accredited food banks.

The proposed framework also provides for food safety checks, with local government health inspectors verifying edible surplus. Food banks will be subject to accreditation and inspection by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which will oversee standards for food handling, storage, hygiene, and traceability.

Fleras said a law supporting food banking could help ensure a more consistent flow of donations, allowing organizations to reach more people experiencing food insecurity.

“Yes, because that will mean... the food bank will be part of the system already. There'll be policy support,” he said.

“Of course, there'll be influx of donations. Food banks will be able to help more people,” he added.

Aside from addressing hunger, Fleras said the measure could help reduce the amount of edible food being discarded and sent to landfills.

“And of course, we're helping the environment because you're lessening the food that's being thrown into the landfill,” he said.

“Kumbaga, bakit mo papakainin 'yung landfill when you can feed people?” Fleras added.

The House measure also proposes incentives for businesses that reduce edible food surplus at its source.

Establishments that achieve at least a 20% annual reduction could qualify for a 150% tax deduction on documented prevention investments, subject to the bill's provisions.

It also proposes liability protection for donors once their donations are accepted by accredited food banks or farms, alongside penalties for obstructing food redistribution, deliberately rendering food unfit for donation or reselling donated food.

The proposed legislation aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030.

Its implementation will involve monitoring food waste and coordinating the recovery and redistribution of safe surplus, while inedible food could be redirected to uses such as composting, fertilizer, animal feed, or energy production.

Senate Bill No. 1378 also proposes a national system to match food donors with recipients, as well as food recovery hubs, cold-chain infrastructure and disaster-response channels. It also includes provisions for local zero-food-waste councils and programs supporting household self-sufficiency.

However, the measures must still complete the legislative process before their provisions can be implemented.

Fleras said food banks are hoping for further action on the proposed legislation, which could strengthen their role in connecting surplus food with communities that need it.

One central kitchen

Meanwhile, the Department of Education-7 is looking to establish one central kitchen in every schools division by 2027 to strengthen the implementation of its school-based feeding program.

DepEd-7 Regional Director Arturo B. Bayocot said the initiative would help schools provide nutritious meals to learners, particularly those suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

Bayocot noted that the implementation of feeding programs depends on the number of schools to be served and the available capacity of central kitchens.

In Cebu province, which has around 1,200 schools, only two central kitchens are currently operating in partnership with the Jollibee Group Foundation.

Other schools manage their own feeding initiatives, including preparing meals in their respective school kitchens.

Bayocot said the central kitchen model could serve as a guide for other schools, emphasizing that its benefits go beyond infrastructure and include more efficient feeding operations that can be replicated even by schools without centralized facilities.

He also cited plans to provide funding for one central kitchen per schools division in 2027. One facility is already under construction, while another project is scheduled for implementation in 2027.

“A hungry child cannot fully thrive, and a malnourished child cannot,” Bayocot said, underscoring the importance of addressing learners’ nutritional needs.

The central kitchen model allows meals for multiple schools to be prepared and distributed through a single facility, helping improve efficiency and expand the reach of school feeding initiatives.

The Jollibee Group Foundation has partnered with DepEd to promote the central kitchen model nationwide, providing technical and capacity-building support for school and community feeding programs.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 is likewise studying the food safety requirements and possible liabilities involved in accepting surplus cooked food from hotels, resorts and restaurants for distribution to beneficiaries.

DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero said the initiative could help address hunger and reduce food waste but stressed the need to establish proper food handling procedures before accepting previously cooked meals.

For now, she said the DSWD’s Walang Gutom Kitchen accepts food ingredients rather than cooked meals to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Lucero said the Walang Gutom Kitchen is open to accepting surplus cooked food in the future, provided adequate food safety measures and clear procedures are established.

She said the organization is also working to link Simply Share, a food rescue initiative, with hotels, resorts and restaurants through a partnership with the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

However, the initiative must first address questions about the liability of establishments should donated food cause illness among recipients.

She said procedures must be established for receiving, handling, preparing, packing and serving rescued food to ensure that it remains safe for consumption.

The Walang Gutom Kitchen is also assessing its capacity to accommodate cooked food donations, including its ability to serve meals promptly and ensure that portions provide complete meals for beneficiaries.

Lucero emphasized that while food rescue initiatives could help address hunger, these must be implemented carefully to ensure that the health and safety of recipients are not compromis