Rice

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are eyeing to revive the push for half-rice servings in canteens and restaurants as rice wastage in the country remains high.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/11/26/rice-prices-remain-high-despite-import-tariff-cuts-lawmakers-say-1632">Rice prices remain high despite import tariff cuts, lawmakers say</a></div><p>Data from PhilRice has shown that 255,000 metric tons of rice is wasted in the country yearly as of November 2024, equal to around 19-20 kilograms wasted per household.</p><p>This volume can already feed 2.79 million Filipinos annually, PhilRice said. </p><p>While the number is down from a previous record of 300,000 MT per year, they said this could be further trimmed down with the implementation of the half-cup of rice policy.</p><p>Under this, restaurants and eateries will be obliged to offer half rice servings. </p><p>&quot;So ang goal ng half cup actually ay para din maprotektahan &#x27;yung ating mga consumers na hindi talaga kayang umubos ng one cup, so ma-lessen &#x27;yung wastage. Tapos maprotektahan din &#x27;yung mga kababayan natin na may mga diabetes na hindi talaga nila kayang kainin &#x27;yung one cup,&quot; said Hazel Antonio Beltran, head of Development and Communication Division of PhilRice. </p><p>(The goal of serving &quot;half cups&quot; is to protect consumers who cannot finish one cup. This will lessen wastage. This will also help those with diabetes.) </p><p>Beltran said they have pitched the idea to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who expressed full support for the proposal. Marcos filed a similar bill when he was in the Senate. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/11/8/agri-dept-tries-new-strategy-to-lower-rice-prices-in-metro-manila-1632">Agri dept tries &#x27;new strategy&#x27; to lower rice prices in Metro Manila</a></div><p>&quot;Gusto talaga namin sana siya na maging national para anywhere you go, you know na dapat ay maka-order ka ng half. At dapat ma-half din or close to half yung presyo nun,&quot; Beltran said. </p><p>(We want to make it a national policy so everyone can order half rice anywhere in the country. This will also halve the price.)</p><p>While many small eateries offer half-cup servings, many fast food chains still do not offer half-rice.</p><p>Beltran said this will be beneficial to those on diets, those who want to save money, and those with diabetes or other health conditions. </p><p>The Department of Agriculture said the government must launch educational activities on rice consumption for children. </p><p>DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said children must be educated on the value of not wasting rice. </p><p>&quot;Malaking bagay na magkaroon ng half cup serving para mabawasan wastage sa kanin at bigas. Dapat mayroong educational activities, ituro sa mga bata kung paano pagtitipid ng kanin,&quot; he said. </p><p>(The half-cup serving will do a lot in lessening our rice wastage. We need to have educational activities, we need to teach our children how to ensure there will be no rice wastage.) </p><p>De Mesa clarified that once implemented, half-cup rice will not be mandatory for all consumers, but it will only give them the option should they wish to consume less rice.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QUhmniKk9vo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>PhilRice said 255,000 metric tons of rice is wasted yearly, equal to around 19-20 kilograms thrown away per household.</p>

PhilRice said 255,000 metric tons of rice is wasted yearly, equal to around 19-20 kilograms thrown away per household.

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'Half-rice' pushed anew to reduce food wastage

'Half-rice' pushed anew to reduce food wastage

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 02, 2024 04:29 PM PHT

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