The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) believes that Filipino families can still prepare a simple Noche Buena meal for as low as ₱500.

DTI Secretary Cristina Roque said in an interview that, with careful selection, families can purchase essential items such as ham, pasta, and ingredients for macaroni salad or spaghetti within ₱500, although it will still depend on how many people will be eating.

"Kung tutuusin P500 makakabili na kayo ng ham. Makakagawa ka na ng macaroni salad, makakagawa ka na rin ng spaghetti. Depende rin po ‘yan kung ilan ‘yung taong kakain," she said.

However, actual prices on the ground tell a slightly different story—especially for ham, a staple on many Filipino Christmas tables.

According to RH Edniel Parrosa's report, in a ham shop in Mandaluyong, production staff noted that ₱500 is only enough for a 1/4-kilo serving of their Christmas ham. A 1/4-kilo chopped ham costs ₱425, while the sliced version sells for ₱463.

The store’s whole Christmas ham also increased by ₱70, from ₱1,620 last year to ₱1,690 this year. They expect a surge of buyers by the second week of December.

While the DTI said that ₱500 could cover basic holiday dishes, consumers on the ground, at the Blumentritt Market strongly disagreed, saying the amount falls far short of reality.

Meanwhile, according to report of RH Boy Gonzales, several market-goers said rising prices of goods have made it increasingly difficult to purchase traditional Christmas staples such as ham, macaroni salad ingredients, and spaghetti items within such a tight budget. Even choosing the cheapest brands, they said, still isn’t enough to complete a modest holiday spread.

“Hindi po yan. Pansit lang 'yan at saka isang kilong manok,” she said. “Mahirap na ang buhay ngayon. Mahal na ang bilihin. Hindi ka makakabili ng ham. Wala pang pang-spaghetti, bitin pa sa rekado 'yan."

When asked how much they usually spends for Noche Buena, she estimated the total to be around ₱1,500 to ₱2,000—an amount she believes is more realistic given current market prices.

Meanwhile, to guide consumers in planning their holiday expenses, the DTI has released the 2025 Noche Buena Price Guide, which includes updated prices for commonly purchased items such as ham, spaghetti, pasta sauce, queso de bola, fruit cocktail, and mayonnaise across various brands.

Roque previously assured the public that there would be no price increases for basic commodities until the end of the year, following the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The President instructed the DTI to actively coordinate with manufacturers to maintain stable prices during the holiday season and ease the financial burden on consumers.