what's on the pinoy table

It is rather unfortunate that since I set foot in the land of fish and chips, I have yet to read anything about the Philippines that's not about corruption, terrorism, poverty, natural disasters and Imelda Marcos' shoes on British papers.

So imagine my surprise when I found this in today's issue of the Mirror:

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WHAT THE WORLD EATS IN A WEEK
Beth Neil And Mirror Nutritionist Juliette Kellow 20/06/2007

It's an amazing snapshot of family life. These fascinating pictures reveal the weekly shop of people around the globe.

For seven years, photographer Peter Menzel travelled the world snapping families he met along the way. Rich Western nations spend vastly more on food but often the poorer nations seem to have a healthier diet. Who would have thought the Brit family would spend double what the Americans shelled out?

Beth Neil and Mirror nutritionist Juliette Kellow discover if the whole world is what it eats...

PHILIPPINES: £24.45

ONLY a tiny amount of the Cabanas' money (around £2) goes on snacks such as chocolate and fast food. Most buys meat, fish and eggs (nearly £10). Rice, bread and potatoes total £3.50 as does fruit and veg.

Juliette says: "This is a very balanced diet even on a tight budget. I'm impressed. They've got the food groups covered and must be very healthy."

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Although the last bit is a little dubious, I'm still delighted to read something positive about my homeland.

** The photo taken by Peter Menzel appeared in the February 2006 issue of GEO magazine (Serbo-Croatia).