Unpopular Opinion: Why I Think Pork Shortage Might Be Beneficial To The Filipino Public Health

True, there is a pork shortage. It's really very easy to hear people bitch about the pork crisis. I can't get over how Sarah Jane I. Elgago visited the pork vendors at Nepa Q Mart. Back on topic, I really think about the problem of the Filipino overconsumption of pork. You can try to search the Internet and you may discover that Filipinos are avid pork lovers. Do you ever why lechon became the national food of the Philippines? It's because Filipinos (except for those in the Muslim areas) are mostly pork lovers. Most non-Muslim Filipinos regardless of ethnicity tend to add pork into their diet. Pork tends to be served during the fiesta. Lechon is usually a staple during the Filipino fiesta or any occasion. Even non-grand gatherings in the Philippines tend to serve lechon. Even some quarantine celebrants still order lechon ever since the quarantine rules started to ease down. 

Think about the potential health hazards of pork. You may want to observe the dietary habit of pigs. You may also notice the STRICT guideline to cook pork properly or there are guidelines in how not to cook pork. Just thinking of what the pig eats makes me think why I even eat pork to start with. Sure, I eat lechon on occasion but I try to abstain from pork dishes as much as possible. The reason has to be pork has VERY HIGH CHOLESTEROL. You may also want to think about the favorite chicharon of many Filipinos is the special chicharon. It's chicharon that's made with its FAT and the FAT IS CONSUMED. TBH, I really prefer vegetarian or kropek (shrimp chicharon) over pork chicharon though it's still pure fat. 

Is it me or is it a common observation that Filipinos are now consuming too much meat and too little fruits and vegetables? I've noticed Filipino restaurants tend to serve too many meat dishes in their buffet and too few vegetables offered. Sure, there are fruits served for dessert but they're usually eclipsed by Filipino desserts like leche flan and the like. An article from ABiaS-CBN (last 2012) even cited the problem of Filipinos not eating enough fruits and vegetables. The Manila Standard also revealed during 2016 (when Rodrigo R. Duterte was newly the president) that many Filipinos really need more fruits and vegetables in their diet. The food pyramid always recommends more vegetables and fruits over meat. I do eat meat but there are days I choose to eat vegetarian meals to balance the consumption of meat. True, meat may be recommended if you're doing heavy work. However, many Roman gladiators (not all) and all practitioners of Shaolin Kung Fu are required to be vegetarian. Just think practitioners of Shaolin Kung Fu can still kick ass and have been able to integrate it into Bruce Lee's ever-evolving Mixed Martial Arts. 

Pork shortage may start to influence Filipino culture for the better. Filipinos may want to start growing vegetables if they can. It would mean Filipinos will have to find creative alternatives to celebrate without lechon. It reminded me of how I celebrated my birthday with halal food from a Middle Eastern restaurant many times. I think it's time to really think of trying to go beyond eating pork. It might be time to focus on eating more plant-based foods and seafood while still getting nutrition from milk and eggs. I'm not saying pork should be eliminated. The keyword for pork consumption (unless you belong to a culture that prohibits it like Muslim culture) is MODERATION. It may be time to take a break from pork for better health.