Amid the increase in the prices of commodities, the Department of Trade and Industry in a televised report said that P500 is enough to buy Noche Buena items for a family of four to five.
DTI’s P500 budget includes the following ingredients and a breakdown of prices:
- Spaghetti bundle – P112
- Salad bundle – P116.50
- Pinoy pandesal – P23.50
- Cheese – P41.75
- Ground pork – P31.25
- Hamon – P163
Some online users questioned this budget list, citing that some essential ingredients were not enough or not included.
“GROUND PORK 31 Php??!! Isang kutsaritang giniling siguro tinutukoy,” a social media user said.
“Bakit ‘di kasama sibuyas,bawang, bell pepper, mantika, hotdog, hui may ketchup pa kaya saka asukal ‘yung spaghetti? Ta’s ‘pag bet mo mas malasa may cream at reno pa yun,” a Facebook user wrote.
“Ano sahog sa lintek na spagheting yan? Sige mga taga-DTI kumain kayo ng spagheting giniling lang ang sahog at asin lang ang pampalasa nyo dyan tignan natin kung masaya ung Xmas [ninyo],” a online user commented.
Some Filipinos were also dissatisfied with the P500 budget recommendation by the agency.
“Noche buena po pinag-uusapan hindi ordinaryong hapunan na maitawid lang,” a Twitter user said.
“Nakakalungkot na ang baba ng pagtingin ng gobyerno sa mga karaniwang pamilyang sa mga ganitong klaseng pagsasalo-salo tulad ng Noche Buena. Kaya hindi umaangat ang antas ng pamumuhay ng mga mahihirap ng dahil na rin ang gobyerno mismo ang pumipigil nito,” a Facebook user said.
“We are a family of 4 [and] an extended relative. And with the rising prices of goods, DTI will say that P500 is enough for Noche Buena? Are you kidding me???” a Twitter user wrote.
“Hilig niyo pabanguhin ng kahirapan instead of solving our financial crisis. Alam kong hindi pera ang diwa ng pasko, pero kung walang magbabago sa sitwasyon natin, sama-sama nga tayo, sama-samang mababaon sa kahirapan,” a social media user said.
Others also challenged DTI officials to celebrate Christmas with a P500 budget.
“Practice what you preach, dapat sila mismo mag-noche buena ng ganyan para kapanipaniwala,” a social media user siad.
“Sana po panindigan yan ng pamunuan ng DTI sa kanilang Noche Buena,” a social media user said.
Prior to DTI’s P500 budget recommendation for Noche Buena items, the agency said that P1,000 is enough to put up a meal on the holiday table.
“For a family of 4 or 5 kasya na rin. Nag-compute tayo. Kahit papaano P1,000 will be good for one family na merong Noche Buena products na ilalagay sa lamesa,” DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said.
Recently, Filipinos also aired their frustration over the increase in the prices of at least 12 Noche Buena items.
RELATED: ‘Walang magpapasko sa pamilyang ito’: How Filipinos reacted to price hike of Noche Buena items
Some Filipinos also called on fellow Pinoys to stop romanticizing resiliency and settling for unhealthy food. This call came as some online users suggested tips on how to make the most of the P500 budget for food by purchasing less.
READ: Calls to stop romanticizing resiliency mount amid rising commodity prices
On Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the inflation rate rose to 8% reflecting the higher cost of commodities and services in the country.
RELATED: Philippine inflation leaps to 14-year high in November
