A P500 Noche Buena meal for families on tight budgets can be achieved by shopping at government Kadiwa stores, according to a Department of Agriculture official.
The Department of Agriculture has announced that a simple P500 Noche Buena meal is possible at Kadiwa outlets nationwide. Agriculture Undersecretary for agribusiness Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra stated there are 740 Kadiwa outlets, including 640 pop-up stores and 100 regular ones. Prices for meat are lower than in regular markets: P300 per kilo for pork compared to P330, and P180 per kilo for chicken compared to P200.
"I did not take into consideration other ingredients if you have a fully working kitchen," Guevarra said in Filipino at a news forum in Quezon City. For tighter budgets, cheaper vegetables for pancit are available, such as cabbage and carrots at P50 per kilo, and potatoes at P60 per kilo. "Not only have you helped the farmers, you’ve also saved on costs," she added.
The P500 Noche Buena topic gained attention after the Department of Trade and Industry claimed it suffices for Christmas celebrations, a statement criticized by detractors as unrealistic. This initiative allows families to observe Christmas simply while supporting local agriculture.