Rice consumption and diabetes was the topic of debate in the recently concluded Asia-Pacific Conference in Clinical Nutrition (APCCN) in Kuala Lumpur’ Malaysia on January 26-29, 2015.
Two clinical nutrition experts served as opposing speakers of the debate’
Yes, it is
Dr. Christiani Jeyakumar Henry from the United Kingdom presented the arguments that link white rice consumption to the rising prevalence of diabetes, particularly that Asia is the epicenter of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)’
He also said that the Asian phenotype or body composition predisposes them to T2D. He then discussed several studies on the high glycemic response of white rice that contributes to T2D. Glycemic response is the change in blood glucose after consuming a carbohydrate-rich food.
No, its not rice alone
Dr. Shigeru Yamamoto from Japan presented opposite arguments saying that even though rice consumption has dramatically decreased, diabetes prevalence is still rising, specifically in their country.
Dr. Yamamoto said that rice cannot be blamed as long as everything is consumed in moderation. lt is the amount of rice that may need monitoring, Yamamoto further reiterated.
The high glycemic index of white rice came from the results of studies on post-prandial glucose or after-meal blood glucose response using a single food.
However, in daily life, people do not eat a single food but in combination with something else.
Moreover, Dr. Yamamoto said that the prevalence of obesity in Japan is low despite high carbohydrate intake and they have the highest life expectancy in the world.
Dr. Henry rebutted that Japan’s rice consumption is different from other Asians in the sense that while Japanese eat rice, the amount is nothing compared to how much more their neighboring countries do.
The Philippine scenario
In the Philippines, the 8th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) in 2013 showed that the individual rice consumption was 298 grams or about 1.5 cups daily.
Rice consumption in2013 was lower than the 2008 NNS which was 3’17 grams or a little more than 1.5 cups daily.
Moreover, diabetes prevalence at the national level based on a cut-off of 126 milligrams per deciliter is 5.1 percent in the 2013 NNS.
Diabetes prevalence in 2013 was higher than the 2008 prevalence at 4.8 percent. This trend was similar to what is being observed in Japan.
Promoting brown rice
Going back to the topic of debate: Is rice consumption causing the rise of diabetes in Asia?
In the end, Drs. Henry and Yamamoto concluded that the rising prevalence of diabetes cannot be blamed on a single food. It is not rice per se that is the issue’ but the kind and amount of rice, they further emphasized.
The FNRI-DOST has been promoting the consumption of brown rice, the kind that ts minimally processed, with its bran still intact. (PR)

NAVAL, Biliran-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Biliran District Engineering Office (BDEO) target to finish all senior high school buildings in the entire province of Biliran by August or September this year.  District Engineer David P. Adongay Jr. during the Kapihan: Pulong-pulong ng Bayan on Radyo Natin Fm, said that the target completion of the school building projects, which were supposedly finished by June before opening of classes, was extended due to the failure of the sub-soil exploration tests. Engr. Adongay clarified that the completion of the senior high school buildings are dependent on the result of the subsoil exploration test and the release of the additional funds.

“Meron kaming mga projects na nabid-out na but ang nangyari during the subsoil exploration test ay nag-fail, so irere-design namin yan so additional funding yan, nirequest namin sa higher authorities kasi mag-iiba yung foundation niya, mas tataas yung volume niya ng concrete at mas lalalim ang kanyang excavation works so until now hinihintay pa namin yan (release of funds),” he said. Adongay points out that the main problem in the implementation of school building projects are the site identified by the Department of Education.  The district engineer suggested that the DPWH and DepEd should have a joint evaluation and identification of building sites because its terrain is one to be considered in the budget allocation.

“Kaya dapat talaga sa identification palang ma-identified namin kung ano talaga ang dapat tatrabahuin diyan for example yung leveling, yung scope of work sa excavation, aside sa subsoil exploration,” Engr. Adongay said. As of July, 2016, Engr. Adongay reported that Biliran DEO have already posts 59.43% for the school building projects.
Out of the 30 school buildings projects, 11 are already completed, 4 not yet started, 5 are still on-going and 10 are substantially completed.  Adongay explained that they still didn’t allow classes to hold on those substantially completed buildings to ensure the safety of teachers and students. (PR)

ORMOC CITY- Civilians who held custody some properties allegedly owned by embattled Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin were separately turned over to the police authorities. Based on the information from the Albuera police, a resident of sitio Tinago, Barangay Binulho identified as Gerry Todio surrendered a 9mm pistol containing live bullets and a shot gun with 20 live ammunitions at around 5 pm on Friday (August 5). Also, a woman of this city who requested anonymity voluntarily turned over one black Innova vehicle bearing plate number NQF 431 to the city police at around 8 pm of same date.  The woman was said to be the bookkeeper of the Espinosa family.  After the news came out on the involvement of the family of Mayor Espinosa on the illegal drug trade, her family stopped using the vehicle which was on their possession.  She disclosed that Espinosa’s common-law wife offered her to use of vehicle a year ago for bookkeeping works for Zellan Hotel based in the same town.  She disclosed that the operations at the amily owned hotel have stopped since April this year. She did not provide any reason why the hotel ceased its operations.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Representative Vicente Veloso vowed a “massive” road construction in the third district of Leyte, considered the poorest congressional district in the province. Veloso said that he had already met with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on his plan to provide concrete roads in all the towns within the district. He said necessary funding for this purpose has already been allocated by the DPWH.

“There will be a massive road construction in our district hopefully beginning January of next year,” Veloso, who is serving on his first term, said in an interview.
According to the solon, about 500 kms of road, mostly farm-to-market roads, are to be paved across the district comprising the towns of Leyte-Leyte, Tabangon,San Isidro, Calubian and Villaba.
He said that there is a need to provide better road system in the district as this will result to faster transport of goods and services. With better road system, peace and order could also be improved in his district which Veloso admitted remain to be one of the big concerns in his district. The neophyte solon said that problem on illegal drugs remain to be prominent practically in all towns in the district.

Veloso has disclosed that while fighting the proliferation of the illegal drugs in Leyte’s third district is among his concerns, some mayors and even police officials appear not be supportive on this campaign. “There is a town in the district wherein its local police chief is not being replaced despite of the fact that its illegal drug problem is so massive,” the solon said. Meantime, aside from his road project, Veloso also bared that he had already received an assurance from the Department of Health on the construction of a district hospital in his area. The proposed 25-bed capacity district hospital will be put up in Villaba in the amount of P250 million. He said that the construction of the hospital could start within the year.  (JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- A former vice mayor of Albuera, Norman Mesina, supports suggestion for Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. to resign from his post. Mesina, who served the post from 2013-2016, said it would be better for Espinosa to resign considering that he got involved in the illegal drug activity. Earlier, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido suggested for Espinosa, 53, to resign from the post he won during the May 9, 2016 elections. “I believe that the suggestion of the chief of police, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido for our mayor to resign from office is a laudable one to prevent more bloodshed,” Mesina said. He added that he felt bad that their town was thrust into national limelight in the negative way. Mesina disclosed that the atmosphere pervading in the entire town of Albuera is that of fear. “Before, people were not afraid to walk in the streets even in the wee hours. However, recently with what happened, people tend not to go out from their houses as early as 8 o clock in the evening,” he said. Espinosa surrendered on August 2 before Police Director General Rolando de la Rosa after he was named by President Rodrigo Duterte to be involved in the illegal drug trade. The police tagged Espinosa and his son, Kerwin, as the region’s number one drug lord. Last August 4, police authorities have engaged alleged armed group of Espinosa at his house in sitio Tinago of Barangay Binulho that resulted to the death of his six men. And on Friday (August 5) Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post of mayor after she consulted with the local operations officers, Ida Aquilina Lopez. (LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)

ALBUERA, Leyte- After much hesitation, Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post as acting mayor of this town effective Friday (August 5). Meneses assumed the post after Mayor Rolando Espinosa’s designated caretaker, Councilor Sixto de la Victoria, declined the designation. Espinosa, in his letter dated August 2, named de la Victoria, a former mayor, as his caretaker as he took a leave of absence after he surrendered to Police Director General Ronald de la Rosa on the same day he issued his letter. Under section 46 of the Local Government Code, the vice mayor automatically assumes the post of mayor after the allowed three day lapses. “I will assume the post efective today (Friday) and let us see from here (what will happen),” the acting mayor said. Meneses disclosed that she has police security, underscoring the still volatile security situation in Albuera. However, town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido assured the people of the town that it is now “peaceful.” Ida Aquilina Lopez, local operations chief, said that she was glad that finally Meneses has assumed the post as acting mayor. As acting mayor, she can discharge all the functions of the mayor except to fire, hire and reassign personnel. According to Lopez, there was fear that the operations in the local government would be in jeopardy if there would be no acting mayor after Espinosa took his leave. The acting mayor is not a political ally of Espinosa who was identified, together with his son Kerwin as the region’s top drug lords. Meantime, Councilor de la Victoria will assumed the post as acting vice mayor being the number one councilor. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA/JOEY A. GABIETA)