Pinamungajan requires food establishments to allow half-rice order

Local

DINERS in the town of Pinamungajan, Cebu is now given the option to order half-cup of rice.

This as the municipality through its Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed an ordinance which requires all the food service establishment in the town to offer one half cup of cooked rice option to its customers.

The ordinance authored by Councilor Maria Elena Limocon states that “reducing excessive rice consumption also minimized food waste, promotes efficient utilization of locally produced agricultural products, conserves water and other natural resources utilized in rice production, and contributes to environmental sustainability”.

The newly established ordinance clarified that the half-rice option does not prohibit the sale of regular rice servings as this only provides consumers healthier alternatives.

Covered in the ordinance are food establishments like restaurants, carinderias, cafeterias, fast-fod establishments, food courts, eateries, canteens to the general public, hotels, inns, and pension houses serving cooked meals, catering establishments serving plated meals and other similar establishments.

The local law likewise applies to dine-in, take-out, and packed meals.

Food establishments are required to provide or offer half-cup of cooked rice during business hours, and should be included in their menu and must be served upon the request of the customer.

As to its price, the half-cup rice should be priced at fair and reasonable amount and shall not exceed to 50% of the selling price of the regular rice serving.

Exempted from the provisions of the ordinance are those food establishments that offers buffet, eat-all-you-can, and unlimited rice restaurants, catering services where rice portions are already agreed upon by the client, food establishments inside schools, hospitals, evacuation centers, and similar institutions serving meals under government or institutional meal programs.

The Sanggunian Bayan may subsequently exempt other establishments upon recommendation of the Municipal Health Officer for justifiable public health or operational reasons.

Those food establishments that found guilty violating the ordinance will be notified and given written warning and order to comply within 15 days for first offense. For second offense, a fine of P1, 000 will be imposed while P2, 500 will be fined for every subsequent violations.(MyTVCebu)