SOME Cebu City residents criticized the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) proposed P500 Noche Buena budget, saying the amount is not enough to prepare a traditional Christmas meal amid rising prices of basic goods.
The DTI earlier said P500 is sufficient for a family of four to prepare spaghetti, macaroni salad, fruit salad and ham. But two mothers interviewed by SunStar Cebu on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, said the estimate does not reflect the cost of goods in local markets.
A mother of four, who requested anonymity, said even basic spices already take up a large portion of the P500 budget. She described the recommendation as “insulting” to poor families.
“Gamay kaayo inyong tan-aw sa mga pobre kay inyoha rami budgetan og P500? Mao ra nay tan-aw ninyos mga Filipino (You think so little of the poor that you only came up with a budget of P500 for us? Is that how you see Filipinos)?” she said.
She added that Christmas is a once-a-year celebration, and even families facing financial hardship try to mark it meaningfully.
She said P500 might have been enough decades ago but no longer reflects present prices. She also criticized government officials for allegedly enjoying catered meals while asking ordinary families to cut back on their own celebrations.
At Carbon Market, the city’s largest public market, vendors said the P500 estimate is not enough for a standard holiday spread. Christa (not her real name), a meat vendor, said the amount would barely cover a single dish.
“Dili na kaigo. Sa spaghetti lang, maigo ra na pero walay cream, walay condense. Kon usa ra ka putahi, maigo ra ang P500 pero gamay ra (It’s not enough. That amount might be enough for spaghetti, but without cream and condensed milk. If you only cook one dish, P500 might be enough, but the portion will be small),” she said.
She said their family usually prepares spaghetti, salad, pork, chicken, fruits and sometimes cake — items that already exceed the suggested budget, especially for large households.
According to the DTI Price Guide, a sample basket covering four dishes and pandesal totals P526. Trade Undersecretary Amanda Roque said the estimate includes spaghetti at P78.50 — P30 for noodles and P48.50 for sauce — and macaroni salad at P152.44, composed of macaroni noodles (P40.95), mayonnaise (P55) and cheese (P56.60).
Christmas ham is priced at P170, while fruit salad, consisting of fruit cocktail (P61.75) and all-purpose cream (P36.25), totals P98.25. Ten pieces of Pinoy pandesal cost P27.75.
Roque said the overall cost could be lowered depending on a family’s preferences and needs.
Still, residents said the DTI’s suggested budget does not reflect the financial realities faced by most households as they prepare for Christmas. / CDF