In tomorrow’s episode of The Atom Araullo Specials entitled “Lamang Tiyan: A Food Waste Trail,” Atom Araullo traces and highlights how food is wasted from production to consumption.
Around 7.3 million Filipinos considered themselves food poor, according to a recent survey of Social Weather Station. Despite this number, food wastage remains a big problem in the Philippines.
In Samar, where poverty and malnutrition are at alarming levels, Atom comes face to face with those suffering from lack of food—children who are severely wasted. There is enough food in the country for everyone, yet 296,869 metric tons of rice is wasted every year in the country, enough to feed 2 million Filipinos.
Meanwhile, in Benguet, considered to be the vegetable basket of the country, Atom discovers a glaring problem: the large quantity of trimmings or vegetable waste. This reaches up to 60 tons daily and is disposed at the trading post and composting facility. According to a recent study, 45 percent of all fruit and vegetable produced is wasted.
But ever wonder where does leftover buffet food including meat, seafood, and cereals end up? The team follows the trail and discovers an alarming truth.
In Tondo, Manila, meat is recycled from trash, washed and re-cooked. “Pagpag” has long been seen as a terrible symptom of widespread hunger. It has also become a business in marginalized parts of Metro Manila.
As part of the global call to eliminate food waste and hunger, Rise Against Hunger Philippines established the first food bank in the country: The Good Food Grocer. Good Food Grocer partners with private companies, local government units, food manufacturers, and dining establishments to facilitate the cycle of food donation. The Food Bank serves as a link between wastage and hunger. It offers the community nutritious produce and meals at discounted prices and gives away what can’t be sold—a practice that reduces food waste while helping those in need.
Join Atom Araullo in another eye-opening special and easily digestible overview of country’s food waste problem in The Atom Araullo Specials, tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 on GMA 7.