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Cynthia Villar seeks ban on unli-rice promos for health, economic reasons


A senator on Wednesday said the promo of restaurants offering unlimited rice to its customers should be banned, suggesting instead the consumption of vegetables.

Aside from the supposed health benefits of eating less rice, Senator Cynthia Villar said the move would help the government achieve its rice self-sufficiency target.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol earlier said the government sought to meet the rice self-sufficiency goal by 2020.

“I think we should learn how to eat vegetables because it’s healthier. Kasi sasabihin mas mura ang rice sa vegetables eh ang mahal naman magpagamot ng diabetes,” said Villar, the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, during a hearing on rice production and consumption.

“Ipagbawal na yang unlimited rice, masama yan. Pagbawal na natin yang unlimited rice kasi nagkakasakit tayo gawa ng unlimited rice na yan; we should learn how to eat vegetables,” she added.

Present during the hearing were representatives from the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority (NFA), and Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco, chair of the NFA council.

Villar also told the officials to encourage the consumption of brown rice, instead of well-milled rice.

“Based from my readings, kaya daw tayo nagkakaloko sa rice kasi puro rice ang kinakain natin,” Villar said.

“We should not encourage well-milled rice. Kung pwedeng brown rice, brown rice na lang. Kasi pag kinain mo, mabigat sa tiyan, konti lang nakakain mo,” she added. —NB, GMA News

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