Category Archives: Health & Medicine

Philippines To Ban Sale Of White Rice?

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Rice and pork, two items in the Filipino diet that are never, ever enough.  Not on the plate.  Not in the nation’s supply.

Despite being an agricultural country, the Philippines still imports rice and pork because local production can’t keep up with demand.

One senator just has the perfect solution towards rice self-sufficiency: ban white rice.  She unveiled her proposal as she chowed down a plateful of macaroni and breaded fried fish (see photo).

Cynthia Villar believes that Filipinos should eat less, and shift to brown rice.  So she wants to ban white rice altogether.

In the interim, she wants Filipino restaurants to stop offering “extra” or “unlimited” rice on their menu.

“Hindi na uso ang mestiza,” villar says, referring to the Filipino aversion to fair skin, as opposed to brown complexion, known in the local dialect as “kayumanggi.”

The reality is, brown rice is more nutritious so Villar might have a point there, but it is also more expensive.

When asked by The Adobo Chronicles what she plans to do about the country’s short supply of pork, she said that senators and representatives should be able to continue receiving DAP funds (Disbursement Acceleration Program) so that they can help their respective constitutents cope with the high cost of pork, and of brown rice for that matter.

DAP is more popularly known as pork barrel, previously ruled by the country’s Supreme Court as unconstitutional.

After Smoking Ban, Duterte Issues ‘No NoyNoying’ Executive Order

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MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Shortly after signing the Executive Order (EO) implementing a nationwide, comprehensive smoking ban, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte issued another historic order: ‘No NoyNoying.’

Noynoying (pronounced noy-noy-YING ) is a term used to describe one’s inaction despite having the responsibility to do something.

The term originated from a protest gimmick in the form of neologism which critics of former Philippines 🇵🇭  President Benigno Aquino III have used to question his work ethic, alleging inaction on Aquino’s part on the issues of disaster response and of rising oil prices.

Malacañang said that the ‘NoyNoying’ ban is consistent with the President’s campaign against government corruption.  It will make it illegal for any government official or employee to just sit around doing nothing while being paid his or her salary and bonuses from taxpayer money.

The new EO requires all government offices to display the ‘No NoyNoying’ sign in conspicuous places to remind their personnel about the new law.

 

VP Leni Robredo Unveils ‘Just Do It’ Campaign For Filipino Youth

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QUEZON CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – She has called for the decriminalization of drug use.  Now, Vice President Leni Robredo, encouraged by recent pronouncements by drug experts, has unveiled her latest campaign directed at Filipino youth.

Calling it “Just Do It,” Robredo said the campaign aims to encourage young people not to even think twice before using illegal drugs. “It does no harm,” she says.

The new national campaign came just days after two international experts spoke at a drug conference at the University of the Philippines 🇵🇭 .

Dr.  Carl Hart, head of Columbia University’s Psychology Department debunked President Rodrigo Duterte’s claims that the repeated use of shabu (methamphetamine) shrinks a user’s brain over time. “The data simply isn’t there,” said Hart, whose area of research includes “behavioral and neuropharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs in humans.”

At the same time, Agnes Callamard, United National special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions declared that Duterte’s war on drugs does not work as it breeds more problems for the government.

Malacañang has not yet responded to The Adobo Chronicles’ request for comment on Robredo’s new project.