Inquirer
Gatchalian: P500 budget for Noche Buena ‘not realistic’
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) stated that P500 is sufficient for Noche Buena, the traditional Filipino Christmas Eve dinner.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who heads the Senate's panel on finance, stated that a P500 budget for Noche Buena is not realistic for a family of five.
Gatchalian calculated that P500 per family of five amounts to P100 per person, which he believes is insufficient for a celebratory meal.
Lawmakers and sectoral groups have criticized the DTI's statement, calling it 'out of touch' with the economic realities faced by many Filipino families.
DTI Secretary Cristina Roque suggested that P500 could cover items like Christmas ham and spaghetti, depending on family size and portioning.
The administration is working to lower the inflation rate to below 2 percent.
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Lawmakers are criticizing the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for its assertion that a P500 Noche Buena meal is sufficient for a family of four or less.
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Vice President Sara Duterte disputed the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) assertion that P500 is enough for a complete Noche Buena meal for a Filipino family of four.
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Actress Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo finds the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) suggestion that P500 is enough for a Noche Buena meal insensitive and lacking in research, stating that more could have been done.
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Content creator Benedict Cua accepted the challenge of preparing a Noche Buena feast for P500, documenting his grocery and market trip.
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Celebrity couple Jessy Mendiola and Luis Manzano expressed their disagreement with the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) claim that ₱500 is sufficient for a Noche Buena meal.
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