Dear Senator Cynthia Villar,
Your statement about banning "unlimited" rice servings in restaurants and fast-food chains is truly groundbreaking.
"Ipagbawal na 'yang unlimited rice, masama 'yan.
"Ipagbawal na natin 'yang unlimited rice kasi nagkakasakit tayo gawa ng unlimited rice na 'yan.
"We should learn how to eat vegetables.”
To quote one netizen, "Sa dami ng problema ng bansa, siya lang ang nakaisip nun. Ang bright-bright."
You also succeeded in capturing the public's attention, making #UnliRice a hot topic on social media.
But, you see, to a lot of Pinoys, "Rice is life."
And to a lot of millennials, "it is lifer."
So even if your statement was merely a "genuine expression of concern," as you clarified, big fans of rice couldn't get it.
Why would you deprive us of our happiness? Why won't you do the same to heavy smokers, heavy drinkers?
The Filipinos' love for rice is ingrained in our culture. Heck, it's the reason why we have the 2,000-year-old Banaue Rice Terraces.
Our sinigang, nilaga, adobo, inasal, monggo, will be bitin with only one cup of rice.
Why, we can even finish two cups with just mani and chicharon.
And banning unli-rice won't stop us from getting another cup.
Your premise is to make us healthier, but in reality, it would only make us poorer and the restaurants and fast-food chains, richer.
You even cited a study about one plate of white rice everyday increasing the risk of diabetes by 11 percent.
Point taken.
But if you really are concerned about our health, we have some suggestions.
Why not do something to lower the price of brown and red rice?
Or as an office mate suggested: Why not propose "unli-quinoa"?
Why not make gym memberships more affordable?
Better yet, why not advocate health plans for all?
Lastly, please study the way Filipinos live.