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People buy traditional ‘Noche Buena’ (Christmas dinner) items at the Blumentritt Market in Manila on December 20, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

People buy traditional ‘Noche Buena’ (Christmas dinner) items at the Blumentritt Market in Manila on December 20, 2021. 

Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Christmas preparation

Jekki Pascual

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176431745671720211220-noche-buena-shoppers-JC-035142860.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" spellcheck="false" style="text-align:left">People buy traditional ‘Noche Buena’ (Christmas dinner) items at the Blumentritt Market in Manila on December 20, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Trade Secretary Cristina Roque clarified Friday that the P500 Noche Buena budget is for a basic Christmas meal for a small family and that costs would depend on the number of family members.</p><p>Roque said a family of four or less can still have a simple Christmas meal with just P500. She explained that she is basing this on the Department of Trade and Industry Noche Buena price guide.</p><p>&quot;Kasya ang P500 but it depends on the number of family members. Usually ang family members na kasya itong P500 is mom, dad, and two children,&quot; she told reporters.</p><p>(The P500 will be enough, but it depends on the number of family members. Usually, the P500 would be enough for mom, dad, and two children) </p><p>Based on the DTI price guide, she said the most affordable 500g ham sells for P170, 250g spaghetti noodles is at P30, while spaghetti sauce is priced at P48.50.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/11/28/solons-slam-dti-s-p500-noche-buena-remark-sa-anong-planeta-kasya-1552">Solons slam DTI’s P500 Noche Buena remark: &#x27;Sa anong planeta kasya?&#x27;</a></div><p>Roque added that one can still add macaroni salad with mayonnaise and cheese.</p><p>She said ham, salad and pandesal could be an &quot;almost complete&quot; basic Noche Buena meal.</p><p>&quot;We can add luncheon meat, corned beef,&quot; she added.</p><p>She also noted that sometimes relatives or neighbors would also share food, which could also add other types of food to the table.</p><p>Roque was hit with criticisms online after she was interviewed on DZMM, where she said a P500 budget is enough for Noche Buena.</p><p>She clarified Friday that she meant a mean for a small family that wants a simple Christmas meal.</p><p>The DTI Noche Buena price guide is posted on the DTI website and social media pages.</p><p>It includes prices for ham, pasta, sandwich spread, keso de bola, cheese, fruit cocktail, kaong, among many others.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QzATXriGzMc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Trade Secretary Cristina Roque clarified Friday that the P500 noche buena budget is for a basic Christmas meal for a small family, depending on the number of family members.</p>

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque clarified Friday that the P500 noche buena budget is for a basic Christmas meal for a small family, depending on the number of family members.

DTI says P500 'basic' Noche Buena budget depends on family size

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DTI says P500 'basic' Noche Buena budget depends on family size

Jekki Pascual,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 28, 2025 04:53 PM PHT

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Noche Buena

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