Asian Insider - The Philippines has a staple problem with rice – and it’s not going away soon

Women cooking the Filipino rice cake bibingka in Las Pinas, the Philippines. Rice is an essential part of every Filipino meal. - The Straits Times/ANN

MANILA, Jan 22 (The Straits Times/ANN): The Philippines is teeming with agricultural land and has a climate suitable for growing rice and yet, for decades, the tropical country has struggled to produce enough of this food staple to feed its surging population.

It is quite the irony for a nation where rice is deeply ingrained in its culture, history and cuisine. Rice is an essential part of every Filipino meal, with families serving it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Traditional snacks are made from sticky rice.