Reelectionist Villar leads early unofficial tally for midterm polls

MANILA - Reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar took an early lead in the Senate race in the May 13 midterm polls, based on partial and unofficial results.

Candidates from administration party PDP-Laban and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) had 11 bets in the top 12, while the opposition Otso Diretso had none, based on 0.4 percent of election returns of clustered precincts as of 6:15 p.m.

The businesswoman-turned-politician has 93,660 votes as of 6:15 p.m., with transmission of elections returns at 0.4 percent.

In second place is reelectionist Sen. Grace Poe, followed by former Special Assistant to the President Christopher "Bong" Go.

Other candidates who made it to the "Magic 12" are Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former national police chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, reelectionist Sen. Sonny Angara, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, actor Lito Lapid, former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, reelectionist Nancy Binay, former senator Bong Revilla, and reelectionist JV Ejercito.

Hugpong fielded 13 candidates while PDP-Laban fielded 5. Opposition slate Otso Diretso had 8 candidates in the Senate race.

Click here for ABS-CBN's election results: https://halalanresults.abs-cbn.com/

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Villar: Keep calm, no 'unli-rice' ban

MANILA - Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday clarified that she was not planning to file a bill to ban unlimited rice servings or "unli-rice" in restaurants.

"I am not planning to make a law banning 'unli rice', not at all. I just voiced out my concern that eating too much rice is one of the main causes of high blood sugar that leads to diabetes," Villar said in a statement Thursday.

"But, of course, I cannot prevent people from eating unlimited amount of rice. It is their choice. It was just a genuine expression of concern on my part."

The senator reiterated her explanation on social media, saying "Keep calm, there's no ban on unli rice."

Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, on Wednesday called on food establishments to refrain from offering unli rice to encourage people to eat more vegetables instead.

"You know, the findings in other countries, mas better ang diet nila. Hindi masyadong maraming rice, may vegetable. If you really ask doctors, that’s a better diet," Villar said after a hearing on rice importation and related issues.

"So dapat i-train na rin nating mga Filipinos not to eat too much rice kasi nagiging diabetic. And you know, it’s expensive to cure diabetes. Parang sinasabi sa ibang bansa kaya hindi sila nagiging self-sufficient, because they have a better diet. So makakatulong iyon, iyong sinasabi nilang unlimited rice, hindi maganda iyon sa diet natin," she added.

In her statement, Villar noted that other countries promote a balanced diet consisting of a small rice portion and a generous amount of vegetables.

"In schools in Japan, the students even discuss the nutritional value of their meals for the day before they eat. They also harvest the vegetables they eat from the garden in their school. Of course, we want our children and children’s children to grow up healthy," said Villar.

Citing a study, she said eating a plate of white rice everyday increases the risk of developing diabetes by 11 percent.

"Rice cause an increase in the level of sugar in the blood, which makes pancreas produce more insulin and cause frequent spikes in blood sugar level leading to diabetes. When not managed, diabetes may cause organ malfunction leading to death," she said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

US-based Pinoy nurses angered by Cynthia Villar's statement

Over the weekend, social media was abuzz over a statement perceived to be an attack on Filipino nurses. The statement was made by a former lawmaker who is vying for a seat at the Philippine Senate.

In an electoral forum on Philippine TV, former Las Pinas City representative, now Philippine Senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar answered a question about why she sided with the owners of shut-down nursing schools and not with the nursing student.

"Actually hindi naman kailangan ng nurse ay matapos ng BSN or Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Kasi itong ating mga nurses, gusto lang nilang maging room nurse, sa America or other countries, parang mag-aalaga. Hindi naman sila kailangan maging ganoon kagaling," Villar said.

Filipino nurses took to social media to show their anger on the candidate's statement, including the Filipina nurse recently honored by President Obama during his State the Union address.

"Ang taas na ng pagtingin ng mundo sa atin, naitaas na natin eh, tapos binababa naman niya. Talagang na hurt talaga ang mga nurses, ang sabi ko nga everybody has their own mind, masasabi niya kahit anong gusto niyang sabihin pero tayo meron tayo may magagawa tayo, ang dapat nating gawin, yung mga ganung tao hindi natin nilalagay sa pwesto," said Menchu Sanchez, who was honored by Obama for saving critically ill babies in neo-natal ICU at the height of superstorm Sandy.

Other Filipino nurses in Jersey City said they came to America not to become what Villar calls a "room nurse" but to be professional nurses who can move up the ladder of success

"Yes, nagpupunas kami ng mga pwet ng mga pasyente, naglilinis kami ng mga sugat at lahat ng ganyan pero ang masasabi ko lang sana hindi siya magkasakit ng sobra sobra, dahil alam ko dadaan siya sa mga kamay ng nurses. Sana lang marealize niya na yung sinabi niya mali, kasi it takes so much to be a nurse, it was too degrading, it was too insulting," said Dez Choi, a Filipino nurse in New Jersey.

"Nowadays marami nang roles na ina-assume ang mga nurses especially Filipino nurses. I think we have broken through - na mainstream na tayo, like me personally I'm taking my MSN ngayon, my masters. I've been here almost 6 years so hindi totoo na puro lang kami bedside kasi merong nasa management na," said nurse Maridel Maulawin from Chicago.

Villar earlier has apologized to the Philippine Nurses Association for her remarks, saying she had no intention to belittle anyone--especially the nursing profession.

source: abs-cbnnews.com