Ched Rick Gatchalian

A vendor attends to her stall at the Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon City on December 14, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Solons slam DTI’s P500 noche buena remark: 'Sa anong planeta kasya?'

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176431278484320221214-noche-buena-prices-jc1121.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>A vendor attends to her stall at the Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon City on December 14, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </div>MANILA — Lawmakers from the House minority on Friday slammed Trade Secretary Cristina Roque for her remark that a family could have a Noche Buena meal for P500 as they urged government to ensure that food and holiday essentials are affordable to Filipinos.Roque had said that a family could have a simple Christmas meal of ham and spaghetti for around P500 because prices of most items had remained stable.“Sa anong planeta kasya yung P500 para sa Noche Buena ng pamilyang Pilipino?” Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon said Friday.(On what planet would P500 be enough for a Noche Buena meal for a Filipino family?)Noche Buena in the Philippines often includes ham and other festive dishes and is often shared by the entire family.Ridon said that P500 would not be enough even for a simple spaghetti dish.“Ang mas mahalaga sa mga Pilipino ay ang pagtitiyak ng gobyernong mananatiling mababa at abot-kaya ang presyo ng mga sangkap at pangangailangan para sa pagdiriwang ng Pasko,” he noted.(What is more important is for the government to make sure that what people need to celebrate Christmas are affordable)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/8/dti-chief-says-some-brands-agreed-not-to-hike-prices-of-noche-buena-products-1600">DTI chief says some brands agreed not to hike prices of Noche Buena products</a></div>Akbayan Party-List Rep. Percival Cendaña, meanwhile, called DTI’s statement an insult to the public, adding P500 would be enough &quot;if you travel back in time.&quot; He said that the DTI has been insisting on P500 being enough since 2022.“Baka dun sa imaginary family ng DTI nag-OOMAD sila for the holiday season,” Cendaña added.(Maybe the imaginary family the DTI is thinking about only eats one meal a day during the holiday season)He urged the government to prioritize the proposed P200 minimum wage hike so more Filipinos would have more money during the holidays.Kabataan Party-List also called for a wage hike and for the corrupt to be held accountable.“Dapat ang mga korap ang pagtiisin sa P500 Noche Buena. Isoli na ang ninakaw. Ibaba ang presyo. Itaas ang sahod. At ang first step dito, dapat may big-time na managot,” the group said.(It should be the corrupt who are made to make do with a P500 Noche Buena. Return what was stolen. Lower prices and raise wage hikes. The first step to all of this for a big-time plunderer to be held accountable)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/11/10/some-ham-queso-de-bola-prices-down-in-noche-buena-price-guide-1255">Some ham, queso de bola prices down in Noche Buena price guide</a></div>

Lawmakers from the House minority on Friday slammed Trade Secretary Cristina Roque for her remark that a family could have a Noche Buena meal for P500 as they urged government to ensure that food and holiday essentials are affordable to Filipinos.

Lawmakers from the House minority on Friday slammed Trade Secretary Cristina Roque for her remark that a family could have a Noche Buena meal for P500 as they urged government to ensure that food and holiday essentials are affordable to Filipinos.

Solons slam DTI’s P500 Noche Buena remark: 'Sa anong planeta kasya?'

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Solons slam DTI’s P500 Noche Buena remark: 'Sa anong planeta kasya?'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 28, 2025 03:52 PM PHT

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Noche Buena

House of Representatives

Pasko

Christmas

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