The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) commended the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and food manufacturers for coordinating to keep traditional Noche Buena holiday items affordable despite mounting cost pressures.
FPI chairperson Beth Lee said the recently-released 2025 Noche Buena price guide demonstrates effective collaboration between industry and government to protect Filipino households during the holiday season.
“We commend the DTI for working closely with manufacturers to keep Noche Buena staples affordable, with half of the products retaining their prices and 95 items seeing only minimal increases,” Lee said.
She said manufacturers chose to absorb much of the cost increases—driven by higher fuel, logistics, packaging, and raw materials costs, exacerbated by recent typhoons—rather than pass them on to consumers.
Lee warned that broader economic factors continue to drive food costs upward. The peso’s depreciation has made imported inputs more expensive, global packaging material prices remain high and logistics expenses continue to strain supply chains, particularly in areas recently hit by typhoons.
“These pressures can build, and while manufacturers are absorbing them now, larger firms may manage better than smaller producers,” she said.
