After last year’s brouhaha over a P500 budget for Noche Buena, the president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., now said that P1,000 is enough for that traditional midnight family feast on Christmas Eve.
Tamayo, who also serves as president of the ruling Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, said the amount could already pay ‘for a simple Noche Buena celebration for a family of three to six members,’ stressing Christmas Eve does not have to involve an elaborate feast.
Speaking during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday, Tamayo said his ‘own family of six could manage with the amount, particularly since they were watching their diet.’
Tamayo said families could prepare simple dishes such as biko (sweet sticky rice), buy chicken and soft drinks, and cook their own food instead of spending more on an elaborate spread.
He claimed that even P500 ‘could be enough for a family of four,’ depending on their food choices and willingness to prepare the meals themselves.Last year, Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque drew flak for saying P500 is enough to serve Noche Buena for a family of three.
Economic think tank Ibon Foundation described Roque’s pronouncement then as ‘obviously false’ and ‘a part of government propaganda.’ Roque insisted that P500 would be enough for a basic Noche Buena like a cheap ham, macaroni salad and spaghetti.
Tamayo’s remarks on Tuesday came amid public discussion sparked by Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (PAGASA) president Steven Cua, who said P1,000 could cover a family’s Noche Buena expenses this Christmas.Tamayo reiterated the amount would depend on the family size and the kind of food they wanted to prepare.
He noted that Noche Buena was primarily a family gathering, not a large celebration where households were expected to invite dozens of guests.’It’s a family time,’ he said, adding that most neighbors would celebrate Christmas in their own homes rather than visiting other households.