Added Title
DLSU-AKI Policy Brief, 2025-12-061
College
School of Economics
Department/Unit
Economics
Document Type
Policy Brief
Publication Date
12-2025
Abstract
The recently promoted Php500 Noche Buena package by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has sparked public debate. For some, it is a welcome, “budget-friendly” option. For many, especially low-income households, it feels unrealistic and even dismissive of the sharp increase in food prices in recent years. Retailers and supermarkets have long used similar Php500 holiday baskets as marketing tools. It is widely used to signal affordability during the holiday season. Yet its persistence masks the cumulative effects of rising prices, stagnant wages, and reduced product quantities. The issue is no longer whether ₱500 can buy a “complete” basket, but whether it remains an honest and dignified standard for Filipino families in 2025.
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Recommended Citation
Tiongco, M. M., & Gañgan, F. D. (2025). Moving Beyond the Php500 Noche Buena Illusion. Retrieved from https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/res_aki/239
Keywords
cost of living; food affordability; food inflation; household welfare; minimum wage earners; Philippine poverty; purchasing power
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