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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
December 2, 2025 | 5:38pm
Vice President Sara Duterte and former President Rodrigo Duterte shares a meal during Christmas lunch in December 2024.
FPRRD Supporters via Instagram
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte believes the Department of Trade and Industry's recommended P500 budget for a simple Noche Buena spread is not realistic, saying the amount has been insufficient for years.
“It’s not true that you can have a Noche Buena for 500 pesos,” Duterte said in Filipino in an interview Monday after visiting her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte at The Hague. “For a long time now, 500 pesos has not been enough for a family’s Noche Buena.”
The vice president cited her own office's Christmas packages as proof that the ingredients for a basic Noche Buena meal will exceed P500.
"In fact, what we give out during Christmas is already around P2,100 ... That’s spaghetti and a salad pack," Duterte said.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque last week doubled down on the department's assertion that P500 is enough for a simple spread on Christmas Eve for a family of four. At a press conference, Roque cited the DTI's Noche Buena price guide, which lists 500g ham at P170, 250g spaghetti noodles at P30, and spaghetti sauce at P48.50.
This triggered a wave of criticism from lawmakers and the public, with many calling the budget out of touch with reality.
Duterte spoke to reporters after visiting her father at the International Criminal Court detention facility. She said they discussed politics and current events, with some family conversation mixed in.
