Celebrity couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola shared their thoughts on the P500 Noche Buena budget, which the government suggested for the holidays.

"My goodness! Sinabi sa akin ni Luis, 'I'm sure itatanong yan. (My goodness! Luis told me, 'I'm sure they'll ask that)," said Jessy as she laughed when asked about her thoughts on the suggested P500 Noche Buena budget for four persons, during a Thanksgiving party for the press held in Quezon City on Dec. 2.

Jessy continued, "Honestly, no! Hindi na talaga (pwede). Yung mga bilihin ngayon mataas na talaga. I disagree. (It's really not possible. The prices are really high now.)"

"Ako ang (nag-aasikaso) ng expenses sa bahay eh. So pagnakikita ko, 'Ganito na pala kamahal yung prutas at karne. Mahirap na rin talaga kung P500 lang. (I'm the one (taking care of) the expenses at home. So when I see it, I think, 'This is how expensive fruits and meat are. It's tough if it's only P500)," she said.

Asked to react to the issue, Luis said, "Actually, the same. Siya rin kasi ang humahawak ng expenses, eh. (She is also the one who handles the expenses.)

"I want to believe that we are already blessed in terms of kinikita natin. Lord, thank you. Kahit na yung kuryente. Minsan mapapansin mo talaga. (I want to think that we are already blessed in terms of our income. Lord, thank you—even the electricity. Sometimes you really notice.)"

"Di ba naglabas pa nga sila ng mga products na pwedeng bilhin. Siguro ang iniisip nila for two lang baka pwede. Kami nga bina-budget namin ng husto ang aming grocery so it's really challenging. (Didn't they even release products that can be purchased? Maybe they're thinking it's just for two; perhaps it's okay. We budget our groceries carefully, so it's really challenging.)"

"Tayo pa. Pinoy pa! Hindi tayo natatapos sa apat. Meron at merong darating sa bahay talaga. (We're Filipinos! We're not finished with four (people). There are always more coming to the house)," said Luis.

Asked for his message to the Trade and Industry Secretary Maria Cristina Roque, who suggested the P500 worth of Noche Buena, Luis answered, "I think with everything that has been said on social media, I'm sure nabasa naman ni secretary yan. (I'm sure the secretary read that.)"

Luis also revealed that he knows someone who prepares a P150,000 budget for their Noche Buena for three people.

"Totoo ito. May kilala ako ang budget niya for Noche Buena ay P150,000. Tatlo lang sila. So iniisip ko at sinabi ko sa kanya, 'Paano mo ginagawa yan kung lahat kami ay medyo binabantayan namin ang gastos namin. (This is true. I know someone whose Noche Buena budget was P150,000. There were only three of them. So I thought about it, and I said to him, 'How do you do that when we're all a little bit careful about our spending?)" Luis said.

The mediamen at the party asked Luis for a clue about the person's profession. Jessy answered, "Ex-best friend."