A MEASURE seeking to institutionalize food waste reduction and prevention education across all public and private basic education institutions has been filed in the House of Representatives.

House Bill No. 11438, introduced by Rep. Salvador A. Pleyto Sr., aims to instill responsible food consumption habits and environmental awareness among Filipino students from an early age.

Under the proposed bill, the Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with relevant government agencies, will be mandated to integrate practical food management skills, zero-waste concepts, and agricultural literacy into existing school curricula.

The measure also encourages schools to adopt zero-waste canteen management guidelines, establish composting initiatives, and build school gardens to reinforce hands-on learning.

In the bill’s explanatory note, Pleyto emphasized that food waste remains a major socioeconomic and environmental challenge that directly threatens the country’s food security and long-term sustainability.

Citing estimates from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines and the Department of Agriculture, the lawmaker noted that thousands of tons of edible food are squandered daily, even as millions of Filipino families continue to face hunger and nutritional deficiencies.

Pleyto stressed that schools play a pivotal role in shaping the values and daily habits of young Filipinos, making them the ideal setting to foster responsible food consumption and environmental stewardship.