Celebrities and content creators have weighed in on the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) statement claiming that a family can prepare a traditional Christmas spread, or Noche Buena, for only ₱500.
Photo: Edu Manzano & Alessandra de Rossi/Instagram
In a traditional Filipino Christmas, Christmas Eve is one of the most anticipated nights of the year, when families gather and enjoy dishes like Filipino-style spaghetti, macaroni salad, and ham, among others. However, DTI Secretary Cristin Roque said that ingredients for these dishes can be bought for just ₱500, a budget she said can be adjusted depending on the number of people and the type of meal being prepared.
The claim quickly drew backlash from the public, with many saying the budget was “unrealistic” given the continuous rise in market prices and basic commodities.
Here are the reactions from several celebrities and online personalities:
Edu Manzano
In an Instagram post, Edu Manzano reposted the viral quote from the DTI Secretary, quoting once again that ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti would fit the P500 budget.
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In a teasing manner, he confronted the claim: “Sabi nila, P500 daw… kaya na ang ham, macaroni salad at spaghetti. Kaya naman susubukan natin. Kung sila ay confident… Tayo ay curious. Abangan ang 500 Peso Noche Buena Challenge.”
Moreover, the actor-host also shared a receipt from 1993 showing that ingredients for spaghetti, macaroni salad, and even Christmas ham could fit within a ₱500 budget at the time.
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Alessandra de Rossi
Alessandra de Rossi shared her sentiments with a brief but witty response.
Photo: Edu Manzano/Instagram
The actress commented on Edu’s first post about the controversial claim.
“Hahahaha, ilang slice?” she wrote, implying that the P500 budget would only afford tiny portions of a Christmas ham.
DJ Chacha
Radio personality DJ Chacha questioned DTI’s claim, jokingly asking which market or grocery shopping tips she should keep in mind in order to afford all the ingredients she would need for Noche Buena.
“Kasya daw ang 500 pesos pang-noche buena. Saan pong palengke kayo namimili dun kami pupunta para makatipid sa Pasko,” she wrote on X.
She added, “Pa-share naman po please ng inyong palengke tips para magkasya ang 500 pesos pang-handa sa pasko.”
Gabe Pineda
Content creator Gabe Pineda used his platform on TikTok to spark conversations about the controversial claim.
@gabe.talks 500 pesos noche buena pagusapan natin. #fyp #nochebuena #christmas ♬ original sound – Gabe Pineda
The TikTok video, which has two million views as of writing, started with a strong statement: “Para po sabihin ninyo na ang P500 ay sapat na para sa Noche Buena ay insulto para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino. It insults the very essence of Christmas as well.”
He also pointed out that the claim was made by those who are unaware of an ordinary Filipino’s everyday struggle.
He also posed a rhetorical question, saying: “Ngayon nga, pag nabasag na ‘yung P1,000, tuloy-tuloy na—wala ka ng gaanong mabibili dun, P500 pa kaya?”
Just Got Fed
Food content creator Just Got Fed put the claim to the test by going to a supermarket to buy ingredients within the P500 budget.
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“Saan aabot ang p500 mo ngayong pasko? Isang mabusising pag aaral mula sa mga ‘experts.’ Tapusin ang video bago mag react. Pakinggan, panoorin, intindihin,” he captioned his post. As of writing, the video garnered over a million views across multiple social media platforms.
While he was able to purchase a few items for the challenge, he emphasized how important Christmas is to Filipino families.
“Alam niyo naman kung gaano kahalaga ang Pasko sa Pilipino, diba? Nasasakripisyo ang birthday, nag-OOT (overtime) ‘yung mga tao, tinitiis ang commute, hindi na nakakabisita sa probinsya. Buong taon hindi nakakauwi para makauwi lang sa Pasko… Ano naman ‘yung konting respeto at pagpapakatotoo na ang P500 niyo ay hindi naman makatao?” he reflected.
“Huwag kayo mapapagod na maghangad ng higit pa. Deserve niyo ang higit pa sa limang daan,” he concluded his video.
The video also drew reactions from celebrities such as Carla Abellana and Kakai Bautista.
“BRAVO,” Carla wrote.
“Sinusumpa ko darating ang panahon na mararanasan nilang lahat ang pagkasyahin ang P500 na pang noche buena. Hanggang sa kadulu-duluhan nilang lahi,” Kakai commented.
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