Is P500 Noche Buena budget enough? 3 chefs share thoughts, menu

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December 22, 2025 | 11:23am

MANILA, Philippines — When Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque recently said that P500 was enough for an average Filipino family’s Noche Buena celebration, she was bombarded with a slew of negative comments and reactions for being “out of touch with reality.” She made the statement in support of her declaration that majority of Noche Buena items had no price increase from last year.

Despite drawing flak, however, she stood her ground, clarifying that she meant that a P500 Noche Buena budget was good for just a family of four, with no extended family members joining in the celebration and only if the family kept their celebration simple. But the negative reactions go on, sparking endless debates on the feasibility of a P500 Noche Buena budget and posing a challenge to not just homemakers but also chefs to come up with a menu that will keep an average Filipino family satisfied and full but still fit strictly into the budget.

Three well-known chefs take on the challenge and share their thoughts while steering away from the political side of the issue.

Chef takes on challenge

Instead of making a negative comment or complaining about how unrealistic it is to fit a Noche Buena menu into P500, celebrity chef Sau Del Rosario opted to take on the challenge.

“Let me jot down a menu for P500! I think, so far, this has been my hardest task — to create a menu for this amount!!!” Chef Sau said.

The chef shared the recipe for Crispy Pork Belly Lechon with costing. Apart from this dish, he also included Tuna Pandesal sandwich good for four people for his take on the P500 Noche Buena.

Chef Sau gave this all-important tip to make sure his P500 Noche Buena menu works: “Proceed to your local market as early as you can to avoid the crowd. Canvas for prices for at least three.”

Crispy Pork Belly Lechon with Mang Tomas Sauce and Tuna Pandesal

Ingredients:

1 kg. pork belly (P250)

1 bottle Mang Tomas All-around Sauce (P65)

4 pcs. pandesal (P32)

1 sachet mayonnaise (P23)

Salt and pepper (P5)

Oil (P20)

1 small can San Marino Tuna (P49.50)

1 bottle RC Cola (P35)

Procedure:

1. Boil pork belly in water with salt until tender.

2. When cooked, set aside and pat-dry.

3. Fry belly on both sides until tender.

4. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and drained tuna. Mix. Season with salt and pepper. Mix again. Spread tuna on pandesals.

5. Slice pork belly and serve with tuna pandesal sandwiches and cola!

'Nakaka-happy' Noche Buena

After initially expressing her opinion that a P500 Noche Buena budget was not enough for an average Filipino family, celebrity chef Jackie Ang Po has decided not to dwell on politics and instead focus on coming up with a good Noche Buena menu — whether it is within the P500 budget or, more likely, beyond it.

She emphasizes this by saying, “Hindi ko na papatusin ang P500 Noche Buena challenge. Gawa na lang ako ng feeling ko 'yung nakaka-happy na simpleng Noche Buena. 'Di ba mas OK 'yun kaysa pilit na P500 na puro noodles, macaroni pero walang laman. Mema. Sabi lang may spaghetti.”

Let us go for a simple, delicious, “hindi tinipid at hindi kinawawa na Noche Buena.”

Chef Jackie suggests Spaghetti de Barangay, Chicken BBQ, Embotido Balls Stuffed with Hotdog and Cheese, Cheesy Buko Pandan, and Chicken and Corn Soup for a simple but decent and satisfying Noche Buena.

Now that costs more than P500 but is sure to carry a decent and dignified Noche Buena for an average Filipino family.

Reframing

Chef Myke "Tatung" Sarthou believes in "reframing" one's mind in how to celebrate the festive season.

“If I had P500 for Noche Buena, I wouldn’t try to perform abundance. I will cook one honest, comforting dish — something done right, not stretched thin. A good pot of Adobo, rice cooked properly. Maybe a simple panghimagas, too, if there’s change.”

For him, Christmas is not measured by how many dishes are on the table. It is measured by whether or not the dish affords you dignity.

“And if P500 can barely hold a family meal together, let’s be clear,” he said. “That is not a personal failure. Food reaches the table last, but it reflects every decision made before it.”

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