Akbayan Lawmaker Criticizes DTI’s ₱500 Noche Buena Budget as Out of Touch Amid Rising Prices

Akbayan Party-list Representative Perci Cendaña has expressed strong disagreement with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque’s claim that ₱500 is sufficient for a traditional Filipino Noche Buena meal. Cendaña sarcastically remarked that such a budget would only be adequate "if time machines existed," referring to a period when the peso had greater purchasing power.

In a statement released on Friday, November 28, he described the ₱500 allocation as "insulting" amid the current high inflation affecting many Filipino households. "While our fellow citizens are struggling with rising prices, these kinds of claims are demeaning," Cendaña asserted.

Secretary Roque previously maintained that with ₱500, families could buy staples of a typical Christmas Eve feast such as ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti, depending on the number of people to be served.

However, Cendaña rebutted this, highlighting that since 2022, the government has repeatedly insisted that ₱500 is adequate for a decent Noche Buena meal. He quipped, "Perhaps in the DTI’s fictional family, people only eat one meal a day during the holiday season."

Beyond criticism, the Akbayan lawmaker offered a practical recommendation for the holiday period. "It would be more beneficial if the government approved a ₱200 wage increase so that workers can truly have something to celebrate this Christmas," he suggested.

His comments reflect growing concerns about the purchasing power of Filipino families amid persistent inflation and calls for more meaningful government support this festive season.