Officials from Ospital ng Makati and the Quezon City government signaled support for the Be RICEponsible Campaign, adding institutional voices to calls for less rice waste, healthier food choices, and stronger support for Filipino farmers by purchasing their products.
At the recent separate campaign activities in Ospital ng Makati’s nutrition month celebration and the Quezon City local government’s “Look Good, Feel Good” activity, medical personnel, patients, employees, and LGU staff were introduced to responsible rice consumption and healthier rice such as low-glycemic, high-zinc, brown, and pigmented rice.
Quezon City Information Officer Jojo S. Alonzo said the campaign made him reflect on the amount of rice wasted by Filipino households and the need to bring the campaign to more people.
“In this activity, I realized how much rice we are wasting, and I believe that this is something that should be shared with more Filipinos,” Alonzo said. According to DOST-FNRI, Filipinos waste about two tablespoons of cooked rice daily, equivalent to 11 million sacks of rice worth 24 billion, which could feed 5 million Filipinos nationwide.
Quezon City Vice Mayor Gian Carlo G. Sotto also expressed interest in the campaign and said he would help promote its advocacies through his Facebook page.
“This campaign initiative is good for our country and we could collaborate through our Facebook pages to reach more Filipinos about this campaign,” Vice Mayor Sotto shared.
At Ospital ng Makati, hospital director Dr. Vergel P. Binay linked responsible food habits to disease prevention, family nutrition, and community health.
“Teach children not to waste food, teach families to eat balanced meals, teach communities about sustainable nutrition. Teach parents that prevention begins at the dining table,” Binay said.
