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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider ₱500 Noche Buena budget 'kasya' if you have a time machine -- Mader Perci

₱500 Noche Buena budget 'kasya' if you have a time machine -- Mader Perci

Published Nov 28, 2025 12:24 pm  |  Updated Nov 28, 2025 10:42 pm

At A Glance

  • Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña agreed with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque's assertion that ₱500 was enough for a Filipino Noche Buena meal, but only if time machines existed.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña agreed with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque's assertion that ₱500 was enough for a Filipino Noche Buena meal, but only if time machines existed.
"Kasya yan if you travel back in time‼️(That would only be enough if you travel back in time)" a sarcastic Cendaña said in a statement Friday, Nov. 28, as he harkened back to a period when the peso had more purchasing power.
But in truth, "Mader Perci" found the ₱500 Noche Buena budget downright "insulting".
"Habang nalulunod sa taas-presyo ang ating mga kababayan, nakakainsulto ang mga ganitong paandar (While our fellow citizens are drowning in high prices, stunts like this are insulting)," he said.
Earlier, Roque that a ₱500-budget was enough to purchase ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti--fixtures of a traditional Filipino Noche Buena--"depending on how many people are eating".
"Since 2022 pa nila sinasabi sapat na yung ₱500 for a decent noche buena for a family. Baka dun sa imaginary family ng DTI nag-OOMAD (one meal a day) sila for the holiday season," noted Cendaña, a member of the House minority bloc.
(Since 2022 they’ve been saying ₱500 is enough for a decent Noche Buena for a family. Maybe in the DTI’s imaginary family they’re doing OOMAD for the holiday season.)
But the Akbayan solon also gave something constructive for the government to ponder on.
"Mabuti pa, icertify ng pamahalaan ang ₱200 taas sweldo para may pang-celebrate naman ang mga mangaggawa ngayong Pasko (It would be better if the government certified a ₱200 wage increase so that workers would actually have something to celebrate this Christmas)," he said.
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