Manila, Jan. 26 -- Abra Rep. JB Bernos and Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos on Monday pushed for the immediate passage of a bill that seeks to reduce food wastage in the country through the donation and recycling of excess edible food.

House Bill No. 6525, or the Food Surplus Reduction bill, seeks to establish a nationwide framework to reduce food wastage by requiring food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and culinary schools to segregate edible surplus and donate it to accredited food banks.

Sanitary inspectors of local government units would inspect these donations before they are distributed by food banks in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local governments.

In pu...