Lawmakers hit P500 Noche Buena

MANILA, Philippines — Two congressmen hit yesterday the Department of Trade and Industry for saying P500 is enough for a Noche Buena meal, wondering on what planet that amount could fill a Christmas table.

Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon and Act Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio separately described the estimate of Trade Secretary Christina Roque as “unrealistic” and “insulting.”

“This is not the first time that the Department of Trade and Industry insisted that P500 would be enough for Noche Buena of an
 ordinary family. It was done in the past. The difference is that it was DTI Secretary Cristina Roque herself who said that it is enough,” Ridon, chairman of the House committee on public accounts, said.

Ridon said that with the high prices of basic commodities at present, the P500 that Roque deemed enough would be insufficient even for a simple spaghetti and cheese meal, especially if the family has more than one member.

“What is important for the Filipino people is for the government to ensure that the prices of basic commodities will be affordable for the celebration of Christmas,” he added.

For his part, Tinio condemned as “infuriating” the DTI’s claim, even as teachers across the country stage sit-down strikes demanding higher wages and an end to government corruption.

“How dare the DTI insult Filipino families with this outrageous claim that P500 is enough for Noche Buena? What kind of Christmas is that, little noodles, egg and water only? This is a slap in the face to every working Filipino struggling to make ends meet,” Tinio said.

The lawmaker noted the bitter irony of the DTI statement coming amid revelations of massive corruption in the 2025 national budget.

Enough for family of four – DTI

But the DTI yesterday clarified that the amount of P500 for Noche Buena is enough for the basic celebration of a family of four, based on the agency’s price guide.

“P500 is enough, but it depends on the number of family members,” Roque said at a press conference.?

She said P500 is considered enough for a basic Noche Buena meal for a family composed of a mother, father and two children.

She said this Noche Buena is for those who want a simple Christmas celebration or have to follow a budget. “Not everybody wants to celebrate ostentatiously,” she said.

“The directive of the President is to make sure that there’s no price increase for basic necessities and prime commodities until January,” she said. — Louella Desiderio