Can a Filipino family of five enjoy Christmas with Php 500 worth of Noche Buena or a holiday feast? Netizens expressed doubts about this budget computation.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) claimed that consumers can buy ground beef, pasta and spaghetti sauce bundle, fruit cocktail, Pinoy pandesal, cheese, and American ham for just Php 488.
"Masarap at masaganang Noche Buena on a budget? Kayang kaya 'yan, Konsyumer. Basta't maging wais at matalino sa inyong Noche Buena Shopping!” DTI earlier wrote in the post that went viral but was later taken down.
The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that prices of commodities and services or inflation further climbed to 8 percent in November from 7.7 percent in October 2022.
“Hindi nga, kahit isang libo pa hindi [kasya],” one consumer said told RH Boy Gonzales when asked if Php 500 is already enough for Christmas feast.
Another consumer also claimed that it is impossible to spend Christmas eve with the said budget.
“Hindi magkakasaya ‘yon sa mahal ng bilihin ngayon,” she said.
She added that spaghetti alone may cost over Php 1,000 and not Php 500.
“’Yong spaghetti? Hindi magkakasya iyon. May hotdog pa [at] may sauce pa. Wala na, hindi na magkakasya ‘yon,”
But for a consumer in Malabon Public Market, a Php 500 budget can buy all ingredients for Noche Buena feast.
“Kasyang-kasya ‘yon kas pwede kang bumiili ng Php 50 giniling, Php 30 hotdog, isang kilong pang-spaghetti, tapos ‘yung tingi-tinging mga rekado. Pwede na ‘yun. Aabutin na ‘yun,” consumer Richelle Esponilla told RH Edwin Duque in an interview.
She noted that “tingi-tingi” is enough for her family to celebrate Christmas.
Meanwhile, DTI Ann Cabochan said the agency’s computation is just a “guide” to show consumers that a family can still prepare Noche Buena even with a limited budget.
“Ang ano natin doon is to open their eyes to possibility na ano pwede nilang ihanda. Hindi naman natin sinasabi na ayan ang ihahanda niyo at makakapaghanda pa kayo kung titignan niyo ang produkto na nasa listahan natin,” she clarified in an interview during DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan on Monday.
“We are aware na madaming nag-react sa pinakita natin na ito 'yung pwede ninyong gawin. We are aware na maraming nagre-react doon. But from the side of the consumer protection group, we wanted to show our consumers the possibility,” Cabochan added.
