MANILA, Philippines?National Food Authority Administrator (NFA) Angelito Banayo Thursday scolded Filipinos who ordered too much rice in eateries to finish all, saying such squandering put additional pressure on the fragile rice situation.

?One of the things we have to look into is wastage. Our table wastage is significant,? Banayo said in a phone interview Thursday.

Banayo drew attention to Filipinos eating in restaurants that featured unlimited (eat-all-you-can) rice promos.

He said he was not telling restaurants to stop such come-ons, but was only reminding diners to be mindful about the amount of rice they ordered.

?They order more than they could eat and they don?t finish it,? he said. ?Just get what you need.?

Leave ?unli? alone

Listeners of radio station dzIQ did not take too kindly to Banayo?s advice, telling him to leave ?unli-rice? alone.

?Pati ba naman yon pakikialaman mo pa? May capacity naman ang tiyan ng tao, (Are you minding even that? People?s stomachs have capacities),? a certain Jane Ebora of Parañaque City said in a text message to IQ Express, a public service program from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. hosted by Ciro Songco and Dona Dominguez-Cargullo.

?Mr. Banayo, just work harder, stop hoarding rice that?s rotting in warehouses,? Nestor Salcedo of Rodriguez, Rizal for his part said.

?I eat three cups of rice every meal. Unli-rice is good,? said Joebert, a security guard at the Department of Education complex in Pasig City.

After unlimited-text and unlimited-calls introduced by telecom companies, unli-rice is the latest promotional gimmick that has caught fire among urban Filipinos, especially students.

Popularized by a chicken barbecue restaurant (Mang Inasal) from Bacolod City, ?unli-rice? means customers can call a waiter for an additional serving of rice for free to go with their viand, usually chicken barbecue. The waiter scoops the rice from a pot that he carries with him.

A popular Japanese fast-food (Tokyo-Tokyo) chain also serves ?unli-rice? to its customers.

?But it?s good. At least, I get my money?s worth,? said a listener who introduced herself as ?Maynila from Malacañang.?

?But you don?t really save money in unli-rice because the cost has already been factored into the price. Businessmen will not give away anything for free,? Abba Roxas said in a call-in message.

Besides, Abba said, ?not all customers will go for unli-rice.?

?And what will Banayo think of next?shut down eat-all-you-can restaurants to save food?? Jane Ebora asked.

Banayo, citing data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, said the country?s table wastage accounted for four percent of national consumption.