Davao City First District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte has issued a sharp rebuke to fellow public officials, challenging them to experience the true cost of living by shopping in local markets. His statement, released on December 1, 2025, comes as a direct response to the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI) assertion that a family could prepare a Noche Buena meal for just ₱500.
A Challenge to Understand the People's Struggle
In his strongly-worded statement, Duterte urged officials to step out of their bubble. "Next time, before you defend that kind of insult to the people, try doing a grocery challenge at the store on the corner," he said. "That’s where you’ll feel the real cost of living — not the prices in this world that’s all press releases."
He accused some officials of being disconnected from the hardships ordinary Filipinos face, suggesting their comfort stems not from service but from corruption. This disconnect, he argued, is why they are unaware of actual market prices. Duterte emphasized that ₱500 cannot even buy a thin ham for the Christmas feast, criticizing officials for having an "imaginary shopping mall" in their minds where goods are unrealistically cheap.
The DTI's ₱500 Noche Buena Estimate
The controversy began when DTI Secretary Cristina Roque stated in an interview that a family of four or fewer could prepare a "decent Noche Buena" with a ₱500 budget. The department provided a sample price guide totaling ₱526, covering dishes like spaghetti, macaroni salad, fruit salad, ham, and pandesal.
Secretary Roque explained, "If you think about it, with ₱500 you can already buy ham… You can make macaroni salad, and you can also make spaghetti. It also depends on how many you’re making and what you really want to prepare. So, it all depends on your budget." However, this calculation immediately sparked skepticism and backlash online.
Public Backlash and Real-World Calculations
Filipinos, particularly Dabawenyos commenting on a SunStar Davao Facebook post, pointed out critical flaws in the DTI's computation. Commenter Jennifer Baquiran noted that the estimate excludes essential costs like condiments, transportation fares, and cooking fuel. "For a sample recipe, you have to make a computation that includes the ingredients... And take note, the gas (fuel) is also included in the cost," she wrote.
Another commenter, Narda Bedrijo Lavado, challenged Secretary Roque to personally try buying from the market to see if ₱500 could produce even one viand. Presie Negro questioned where the DTI sourced its low prices, humorously offering to buy his Noche Buena items there if such prices were real.
A Symbol of Leadership and Service
Representative Duterte framed the issue as a symbol of a deeper problem in governance. He warned that if the national government's mission is to downplay the struggles of ordinary citizens, then officials should not use their titles or "insult the intelligence of the Filipino people."
He concluded that the ₱500 Noche Buena narrative ultimately highlights the kind of leadership the country has and underscores a significant lack of adequate and empathetic public service. The debate puts a spotlight on the widening gap between official pronouncements and the on-ground economic reality faced by millions of Filipinos during the holiday season.
