South Cotabato gov: P1,000 budget ‘enough’ for simple Noche Buena

KORONADAL CITY — 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.”

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READ: P500 ‘noche buena’ enough to feed family of 4, DTI insists

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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.

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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.

READ: Gatchalian: P500 budget for Noche Buena ‘not realistic’He stressed that the celebration must not be measured by the value or quantity of food on the table but by how families spend Christmas together.For ordinary workers, however, the challenge is not only making P1,000 enough for Noche Buena, but also having that amount to spend for the occasion.A 63-year-old tricycle driver, Alex Gaude, agreed with Tamayo, saying that P1,000 could cover a simple celebration.“If it is just a simple celebration, I think it would be enough. You can buy chicken, ingredients for spaghetti and some soft drinks. But it also depends on how many people are in the family,” he said.But saving that amount won’t come easy for Gaude, whose daily income depends on passengers he transports.“That is the difficult part. My daily earnings are not always the same. Some days I earn well, while on others, I barely make enough for fuel and food. That is why I have to save little by little,” he said.Still, he said Christmas comes only once a year, and he wanted his children to enjoy the occasion.“For me, Christmas comes only once a year. We also want to make our children happy. It does not have to be an extravagant celebration, but we want something special on the table during Noche Buena. Whenever I have a little extra from my earnings, I try to set some aside,” he said.Aripahol (steamed cassava puto) vendor Eden Austria also said P1,000 might be enough for a small family, but noted that rising prices could make even a simple celebration costly.

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READ: DTI’s fantastical ‘noche buena‘“If the family is small, it might be enough. But prices are high these days. Even a simple meal can quickly eat up P1,000,” Austria said./coa