DAVAO City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte challenged public officials to buy Noche Buena products worth ₱500 in small markets to understand the real situation of the Filipino people.
"Next time, bago kayo mag-defend ng ganyang klaseng insulto sa sambayanan, try niyong mag-grocery challenges sa tindahan sa kanto. Doon niyo mararamdaman ang tunay na presyo ng buhay – hindi yung presyo sa mundo nitong puro press release," he said in his statement on December 1, 2025.
(Next time, before you defend that kind of insult to the people, try doing a grocery challenge at the store on the corner. That’s where you’ll feel the real cost of living — not the prices in this world that’s all press releases)
Duterte said they have no idea about the hardships people are experiencing, claiming that officials are “full” not because of love for the country but because of corruption, which is why they do not know the real prices of goods in the market.
He added that ₱500 for Noche Buena cannot even buy a thin ham and that the problem is officials seem to have an “imaginary shopping mall” in their minds where products are cheaper.
Duterte said that if the mission of the national government is to downplay the difficulties experienced by ordinary Filipinos, they should not use their titles as attorneys, nor insult the intelligence of the Filipino people.
He added that, at the end of the day, the ₱500 Noche Buena narrative symbolizes the kind of leadership the country currently has, highlighting the lack of adequate public service.
P500 Noche Buena ‘enough’
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earlier stated that ₱500 is sufficient for a family of four to prepare spaghetti, macaroni salad, fruit salad, and ham.
According to the DTI Price Guide, a sample basket covering four dishes and pandesal totals ₱526. The estimate includes spaghetti at ₱78.50 — ₱30 for noodles and ₱48.50 for sauce — and macaroni salad at ₱152.44, composed of macaroni noodles (₱40.95), mayonnaise (₱55), and cheese (₱56.60).
DTI Secretary Cristina Roque said in an interview that a family of four or fewer can prepare a “decent Noche Buena” meal with just ₱500.
Her statement, however, drew criticism online, with many questioning whether ₱500 is truly enough for a traditional Christmas dinner.
"Kung tutuusin, [sa] P500, makakabili na kayo ng ham… Makakagawa ka na ng macaroni salad, Makakagawa ka na rin ng spaghetti. Depende rin po 'yan kung ilan 'yan kung ano talaga ang gusto mo kainin. So, it all depends on the budget," DTI
(If you think about it, with ₱500 you can already buy ham… You can make macaroni salad, and you can also make spaghetti. It also depends on how many you’re making and what you really want to prepare. So, it all depends on your budget.)
Dabawenyos sentiments
Jennifer Baquiran, one of the commenters on a Facebook post by SunStar Davao, said that the DTI computation does not include condiments, transportation fares, and other items needed for Noche Buena.
"Sample sa isang recipe gagawa ka ng computation kasali ang mga sangkap sa pag compute saka ka maka come up ng price sa bawat menu o food na gagawin mo at take note kasali pa ang gas diyan," she said.
(For a sample recipe, you have to make a computation that includes the ingredients. You calculate everything first, then you can come up with the price for each menu item or dish you’re going to make. And take note, the gas (fuel) is also included in the cost.)
Narda Bedrijo Lavado commented that Roque should try buying from the market herself to see if ₱500 can even produce one viand.
Presie Negro also asked where Roque bought her ingredients, saying that if prices were indeed that low, he would buy his Noche Buena items there as well. RGP