Food Donation bill pushed as thousands face hunger in typhoon ravaged areas. SB 150 allows hotels and restaurants to donate excess, untouched food.

Fresh from a visit to flooded areas in Botolan, Zambales where he survived a near fatal road mishap while distributing relief goods as Chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, Senator Richard J. Gordon (Ind.) stressed the urgency of passing the Food Donation Bill to stem the tide of hunger that rises every year during the typhoon season.

Gordon explained that during typhoons, farmers and fishermen in devastated areas are the first to suffer. Apart from the loss of income due to crop damage, people in devastated areas also face a shortage of food.

"A huge number of our countrymen go hungry during the typhoon season and perhaps their suffering is made even worse when they learn that some people can afford to pay thousands of pesos for a single meal," said Gordon.

"What is even more disturbing is that in even the most expensive restaurants, there is an excess of untouched food that is just thrown away because restaurant owners cannot give it away. Our bill allows them to donate clean and untouched excess food," he added.

SB 150 or the Food Donation Bill recently passed on third reading. Apart from helping alleviate hunger among disaster victims, it also aims to help out the sixteen million less fortunate Filipinos who cannot provide for their basic food requirements.

Gordon explained that the Food Donation bill is not intended as a dole out but to address the increasing hunger rate in the country. The idea is to collect excess food, NOT leftovers, from parties, buffets and from restaurants and fast food chains.

"Through this bill, we can teach the poor to create food opportunities for themselves. The object of this bill is to try and breach those gaps or periods of hunger. At the same time, we are giving them a helping hand until they can regain their ability to feed themselves and therefore get back their dignity," he said.