Businesses in Cebu are being urged to work with food banks to recover surplus food and redirect it to families facing hunger, as provincial officials and advocates seek to strengthen partnerships between the private sector and vulnerable communities.
Capitol Health Consultant Dr. Nicole Elisse Catalan made the appeal during the Second Philippine Food Banking Summit at the Capitol Social Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 14, calling on food manufacturers and retailers to take a more active role in food recovery efforts.
Catalan encouraged businesses to coordinate with food banking organizations to identify surplus products that could still be distributed to people in need instead of being discarded.
“Especially sa mga manufacturers and retailers, we’re very open to collaborating. So, reach out lang jud to us or we can reach out to you in whichever way para mas makakita, we can help more people,” Catalan said.
She explained that food banking collects food that exceeds the needs of its owners or businesses and redistributes it to people who can use it. Products do not necessarily have to be nearing their expiration dates to qualify for recovery.
Catalan also called for stronger legal protections for food banks and donors, similar to measures adopted in other countries, saying such safeguards could encourage more businesses to donate usable food.
Hazel Quek, a representative of the Global FoodBanking Network, stressed that food banking requires cooperation across sectors, including government agencies, businesses and civil society organizations.
“The success of food banking actually really relies on partnerships with government as well as private sector. Everyone has a role to play—civil society, NGOs, business, and governments,” Quek said.
She said the government could encourage wider business participation through policies that support food donations while ensuring compliance with food safety standards.
Quek also urged companies to integrate food recovery into their environmental, social and governance commitments and corporate social responsibility programs, allowing them to contribute to efforts to reduce hunger while addressing food waste.
The summit brought together stakeholders to discuss ways to improve food recovery and distribution, strengthen existing partnerships and develop approaches that could reach more beneficiaries.
Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro said food banking could help bridge the gap between businesses with excess food and families struggling to secure enough to eat.
“Hunger is partly a logistics problem. Because there is surplus food. There is surplus somewhere, while elsewhere families do not have enough,” Baricuatro said.
She said closing that gap requires coordination among food donors, food banks, transport and storage providers, and community organizations that can identify areas where assistance is most urgently needed.
Baricuatro, who previously founded the Share Foundation, said her commitment to addressing hunger remained unchanged after assuming the governorship. She emphasized that food security must remain a priority to ensure every Cebuano has access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.
“Today, as governor, my responsibilities have grown, but my priority and goal remain the same: zero hunger,” she said.
Baricuatro urged businesses, donors and other stakeholders to translate their commitments into concrete action by recovering more surplus food, sharing meals and expanding assistance to underserved families.
She reiterated the need for collective efforts to work toward a hunger-free Cebu and Philippines.
Photo courtesy of Capitol PIO
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