WHEN EATING IS NOT A HEALTHY HABIT

"Magkano ang turon, kasama ang alikabok?"

"Magkano ang kwek-kwek, kasama ang polusyon?"

I ask the sidewalk vendors this way because I want to make them conscious that they are selling unhealthy food to their decent customers who pay them without asking nor criticizing their food handling 

Is it not rather irritating that we spend so much for health and yet the very simple act of demanding that sidewalk vendors observe simple clean, hygienic foodhandling is not even done?

A news report says: MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is still one of the unhealthiest countries in Asia, lagging behind India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Based on a survey by pan-Asian insurance giant AIA Group, the Philippines scored 61 out of 100, below the regional average of 64. It is tied for ninth overall with Korea, India and Singapore.

Ironically, we are spending billions for health as the budget for 2017 is P144.3 billion ($3.04 billion), 15.4% higher than 2016 figures.

Why do the Filipino people patronize sidewalk food stalls? It's cheap to eat there than at restaurants. Kwekkwek is P20 per 5 balls depending on the place; turon is P12 to 15 and contains saba with sugar  and langka if the vendor is generous enough. For a hungy student, this is one way of scrimping on expenses to make the allowance enough for the day. Contractual workers and some professionals stretch the value of their salaries by scrimping on food, like eating at those stalls. 

The dirty food in the sidewalk could cause stomach troubles and even "trangkaso" especially if the vendor should start coughing on it. You could even see a barbecue stand at a corner along Aurora Boulevard where jeepneys idlepark waiting for passengers and their "tambutso" blowing on the stall when departing and arriving. Yaki talaga! 

Eeky, isn't it? But I think the Business Permits section, the health sections of the local governments and the Departmen of Health itself should put their heads together to face this problem. Or else, we will be repetitively spending billions for health without gaining any health at all.