Bacolod city: Food items donated and rescued at the Bacolod South (Libertad) Public Market in this highly urbanized city have benefited at least 40 families from three barangays in the month of August, city government data on Tuesday showed.
According to Philippines News Agency, under the G-Merkado Social Responsibility Program, about 622 kg of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, and groceries were received from vendors from Aug. 8 to 26. City Administrator Mark Mayo stated that the program's pilot implementation at Libertad Market has garnered support from vendors eager to participate in giving back to those in need.
'We set up a corner at the market where they can donate food items. We thank our vendors for the donation that we can also give for free to a community pantry,' Mayo said in an interview. Among the produce collected were 331.45 kg of vegetables and 266.96 kg of fruits, with 96 percent of these items rescued from potential disposal and distributed instead.
The G-Merkado Social Responsibility Program has partnered with social enterprise Sagup Negros, which collects surplus food and helps provide food access to families through its community pantry. 'What started as a food rescue consolidation hub simulation at Libertad Public Market on Aug. 8 has now evolved into a working system, demonstrating how surplus produce can be properly collected, consolidated, and redirected to communities in need,' Sagup Negros shared in a Facebook post.
Following the initial implementation last month, there is consideration for expanding the initiative to include the Bacolod North (Burgos) Public Market and Bacolod Central Market. 'The goal is collecting more food waste, recyclable materials, and edible produce that can be redirected to communities in need,' the Office of the City Administrator said in a statement.
The recently passed City Ordinance 1144, known as the Food Waste Reduction and Sustainable Food Practices Ordinance, aims to reinforce the city's dedication to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable food practices.
