By Anthony A. Araos
What does it take for poor Filipinos to even think of preparing a “noche buena” meal in the Christmas season? I think that answer lies in the capacity to stretch one’s budget with Php 500 at hand. Well, Php 500 is the suggested noche buena budget (SNBB) of Palace bootlickers for this all-important meal of Christendom.
Thus, I simply find it incredulous that a lot of food items are to be listed even by middle-income Filipinos for this occasion. Ham, fried chicken, spaghetti, ice cream, salad, adobo, iced tea, lechon, coffee and apple for this meal. Coincidentally, many others think of cakes and lumpia (spring roll) and rice.
It is a fact that “special food” is required at the table at this time of the year. According to the elderly sector, “noche buena” offers unique attributes in terms of religious significance. This shall be a big factor in driving them to overspend during the holiday season.
Looks like most Filipinos, especially Ifugao folks, are likely not to hurdle the obstacles poised by the high cost of living. Because when they’re up against sky-high prices of goods and services, they have a lesser chance of putting up more food at their tables. Isn’t that proof that normal life is no longer better at all? And they’re just daydreaming of being always of sharing the yuletide tidings, yet living somewhere else far away from this planet, to escape harsh reality for something you don’t want to live with.
SNBB Php 500, think about it. In Lagawe, a kilo of pork is Php 380. A kilo of rice is Php 50. What is left is Php 70. So, what about the vegetables, eggs, coffee, milk and bread?
When was your last market trip when pork was priced at Php 200?
Budgeting Php 500 for this market or grocery trip is indeed a toll order. Why, indeed? Or better to ask, is there a need to go there?
Fact: poor Filipinos bore the brunt of spiraling cost of living. They are financially unprepared to have a decent “noche buena” meal. They don’t have Christmas bonus, cash gifts and 13th month pay. How about “savings” at the bank? Chances are, nothing at all!
To think that pork, beef and chicken prices are way beyond the reach of impoverished Filipinos, thus were more than enough to cover their needs for “noche buena,” there are more road blocks to buying vegetables for your favorite pancit or chopsuey. For buying veggies from Benguet is another big problem due to the devastation of typhoon Uwan. Expensive veggies are flooding the Lagawe public market and flea market. So, that basically means, there are only a few buyers.
Why not settle for tuyo (dried fish) instead of salmon? For moneyless or moneyed Filipinos, you get the best of both worlds. Surely, it is a matter of negative or positive outlook.
Low-income Ifugao folks do not seem to know that they were taken for a ride by the Php 500 noche buena deal while corrupt politicians involved in the “flood control scandal” are living extravagantly and luxuriously.
Against this backdrop, poor Filipinos are told to have a noche buena meal of Php 500- of little rice, kankong, tuyo, small-sized eggs and rain water!
All’s not well that ends not well on this matter, one would say. For high prices are to persist until 2028.
And yet, I’d say, the predicament of poor Filipinos- who comprise the vast majority of the population, is perfectly understandable.
Poverty and other fundamental issues of society (such as social injustice) are not being addressed by erring, incompetent and inept officials.
At any rate, as expected, poverty incidence increases. This development takes us to a pivotal point of witnessing more horrible things to come for “Bagoong Pilipinas.”
Simple things that maybe finally given to them in 2026- food, jobs, and quality public services- are privileges I still greatly value. It has been three years since the UniTeam of PBBM and VP Sarah prevailed in the polls. Yet, here we are, the poor are still getting poorer!
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon po sa inyong lahat!**
