DTI received criticism for this Noche Buena budget
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque insisted that a
P500 Noche Buena
is possible.
A few days ago, the agency released a Noche Buena guide with a budget of P500. This did not sit well with many Filipinos. Many people pointed out that with the prices of basic commodities and main ingredients, it is impossible to buy Noche Buena food with that kind of budget.
The trade and industry department continues to receive criticism because of this, even
celebrities
📸: Manila Bulletin
Based on the article in PEP, Sec. Roque was accused of not knowing the reality about the lives of poor Filipinos. In a press conference last Friday, she answered the criticism.
The DTI Secretary insisted that it is possible to have a Noche Buena worth P500. “Kasya ang PHP500, but it depends on the number of family members. “
Kasi, usually, ang family members na kasya itong PHP500 is mom, dad, and two children,
” she explained.
Then, she said that for now, some families just consist of a mother or a father with a child. This was the basis for the P500. However, she reiterated that this budget will depend on the number of family members or even the extended relatives who would be joining the Noche Buena celebration.
In that press conference, the Secretary also read the price list of the agency as proof supporting her previous statement about the Noche Buena budget.
Meron na po itong Christmas ham na PHP170. And then yung spaghetti, which is the spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce, so the noodles is PHP30 and PHP48.50 for the sauce so a total of PHP78.50 for the spaghetti,”
she stressed.
📸: PEP
Roque also mentioned other Noche Buena essentials fit to the budget. However, many Filipinos also kept insisting that this kind of budget would not be enough.