1We Filipinos have taken the slogan “reduce, reuse, and recycle” to heart. We like to maximize the lifespan of an object in every possible way, lest it go to waste. This is one of our positive habits until we invite guests to our kitchen or dining area.

A typical Filipino fridge is usually stocked with recycled plastic bottles in all sizes containing drinking water. In the same manner, we love buying hefty glass jars of instant coffee or peanut butter because they can be reused as drinking glasses.

Well, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt (or dies!) of either cancer from the chemicals leaching off the overused plastic bottles, or food poisoning from the ancient containers getting contaminated with a sundry of condiments and other substances that haven’t been washed off thoroughly.

2Speaking of rice, there’s no doubt we Filipinos are a rice-eating people. We consider meals without rice to be mere snacks, and all a restaurant has to do to get our attention and money is to offer “unlimited rice.”

Despite knowing the horrible effects of excessive carb consumption on our health (see ‘diabetes,’ ‘obesity,’ and ‘just plain feeling sleepy most of the time’), we insist on having our favorite carbohydrate with practically everything.

Is our obsession with rice just another chapter from our nation’s multi-volume book, Making the Most of What’s in Front of You? Both my siblings could eat rice with nothing but ripe mangoes or bananas—I kid you not. But regardless of this addiction’s root cause—whether biological, social, or cultural—this is one “Unli-“ offer that wouldn’t hurt our country if it expired