The Sentinel - NESHS Student Publication

𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐧!

Sa bawat laban na tinatahak, sa bawat pangarap na pinaninindigan, ipinapakita ng kababaihan ang tapang, talino, at lakas na kayang baguhin ang lipunan. Hindi lamang tayo tagasunod ng pagbabago, tayo ang nagbubukas ng landas para sa mas makatarungan at pantay na mundo.

Ang Women’s Month ay paalala na ang bawat babae ay may karapatang marinig, igalang, at bigyan ng pagkakataon. Kapag binigyang-lakas ang kababaihan, buong komunidad ang umaangat.

Panahon na upang tumindig, makiisa, at ipaglaban ang boses ng bawat babae.

𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑬 𝑩𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑬! 💜🌸





____________________________

Caption by: Cassandra Gamboa
Layout by: Marky Ivan Dela Cruz

𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

The 40th anniversary of the 𝑬𝑫𝑺𝑨 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 reminds us of a time when ordinary Filipinos stood together to fight for freedom. In February 1986, millions gathered along EDSA to peacefully call for the end of the dictatorship of 𝑭𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒔. People from different backgrounds united with one goal: to restore democracy and protect human rights. Their strength came not from violence, but from solidarity, faith, and courage.

The peaceful uprising restored democracy in the 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 and opened a new chapter under 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒛𝒐𝒏 𝑨𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒐. Through 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑵𝒐. 1006, the day is observed as a special working holiday to honor the bravery of those who stood for freedom and to remind every generation of the value of democracy.





_______________________________

Layout by Jenmar Dy

Hindi mura ‘yan ha‼️

“𝑷𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒂 𝒌𝒂 𝒃𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆’𝒔? 😉
𝗣𝗨-𝒓𝒐 𝗖𝗛𝗔-𝒓𝒐𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒈-𝒂𝒔𝒂 😜💕🍓”

Okay lang ‘yan — may strawberry flavor na pang-comfort! 😜

Hindi man siya nag-chat, at least may pang-sweet ka.

Valentines na naman… pero this time, SUPER-OA edition! 💌😂

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲? 𝓣𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓷? 𝕊𝕚𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡?

Ang mahalaga, may tamis sa labi! 😋🍓

____________________________

Layout by Baki Corpuz

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐌𝐚’𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐨-𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚!

The Sentinel family proudly celebrates your promotion from 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐈 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐕. As the School Paper Adviser of The Sentinel, this milestone reflects your dedication, leadership, and unwavering support for campus journalism and student development.🥳☝🏻

Thank you for your guidance, patience, and inspiration to every student writer and editor you have mentored. Your commitment continues to leave a meaningful mark on the school community.

Once again, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗠𝗮’𝗮𝗺! 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱.👏👏

___________________________________

Layout by: Lance Joseph Manuel

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍, 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑽𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆, 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚🏆🙌

𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗜 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗦!
Ipinagmamalaki namin ang inyong husay, sipag, at dedikasyon sa DSPC 2026. Ang tagumpay na ito ay patunay ng inyong pagsusumikap at pagmamahal sa pamamahayag. Hindi lamang ito panalo ng The Sentinel, kundi tagumpay ng buong paaralan.

Lubos po kaming nagpapasalamat sa aming 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩,sa aming 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙡 at 𝘼𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙡, sa aming 𝙎𝙪𝙗𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨, kay 𝙂𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙊𝙮𝙞𝙚 𝙐𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙞, at sa aming masisipag at dedikadong 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 na walang sawang gumabay at sumuporta sa amin.

Para sa mga campus journalists, 𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊 𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏. Ang isang resulta ay hindi sukatan ng inyong kakayahan. Ang bawat 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏, 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒔𝒖𝒃𝒐𝒌, at 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒌𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒑𝒂 ay bahagi ng proseso ng 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒌𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒐 at 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒉𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂 para sa mas 𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒚 na darating sa 𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒏.

Higit sa lahat, pagpapasalamat itong lahat sa 𝑫𝒊𝒚𝒐𝒔, na naging lakas at gabay namin sa bawat hakbang.

Padayon, The Sentinel.
Padayon, campus journalists.

𝗛𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶 𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗼 𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗼—𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗼 𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝘀𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘆.💫




Layout by Jenmar Dy

LOOK👀 | Our school proudly 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 4𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿-𝗨𝗽 title in the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝗜𝗜 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 held yesterday, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 20, 2026. This remarkable achievement reflects the hard work, teamwork, and determination shown throughout the journey.

We sincerely thank the faculty and staff, financials and transportation for their guidance and support, our Subject Group Heads for their leadership, and our SPTA President 𝗠𝘀. 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗼 for her support. We are also grateful to the 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝘂𝗲𝘃𝗮 𝗘𝗰𝗶𝗷𝗮, 𝗚𝗼𝘃. 𝗢𝘆𝗶𝗲 𝗨𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶, for supporting our transportation, as well as to the Assistant Principals of NEHS SHS, 𝗠𝗮’𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 and 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘇𝗮. Most of all, we thank our dear Principal, 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖. 𝗦𝗮𝘆𝗱𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻, for his unwavering support and inspiration.

This achievement is shared by everyone who believed in us. Here are the winners of the competition:

𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘 (𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐎)

3rd Place Sports Writing Filipino Category - Kier Clarenz A. Quilinguin | Coach: April Joy B. Alfaro

𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘 (𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇)

3rd Place Copy Reading and Headline Writing English Category - Matt Rafael | Coach: Roxane Mae Dela Cruz

5th Place Sports Writing English Category - Ian Gabriel Rocero | Coach: April Joy B. Alfaro

5th Place Science & Health English Category - Princess Audrey Villoria | Coach: Lea Mhore B. Rudio

5th Place Editorial Cartooning English Category - Mark Adrian Badinas | Coach: Ronnalyn S. Rimando

4th Place Column Writing English Category - Anne Merghel Juan | Coach: Lovely Lorelyn Diaz

5th Place Editorial Writing English Category - Jereign F. Unson | Coach: Cherry Lyn Centro

𝑮𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑷 𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑮𝑶𝑹𝒀

𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆
1st Place English Category | 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐑𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐨

𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙈𝙀𝙈𝘽𝙀𝙍𝙎:
Lance Joseph Manuel
Frances Janine Tolentino
Rald Mariño
Aryanna Sadal
Janine Kate Pastor

𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐎 | 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐥

𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨:
Czar Joseph Geromo
Claude Nathan Doncillo
Adriel Vince Tan
King Joseph Santiago
Francel Dela Cruz
Rhiana Tunac
Marciella Tulao

2𝒏𝒅 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

3rd Place Best Script
2nd Best Infomercial
2nd Best Technical Application: Claude Nathan Doncillo
4th Best Anchor: Adriel Vince Tan
3rd Best Anchor: Rhianna Joy Tunac
5th Best News Presenter: Francel Dela Cruz
4th Best News Presenter: King Joseph Santiago

𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇 | 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐑𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐨

𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨:
Jomar Santos
Eunice Fajardo
Grace Magno
Marleth Mariano
Lady Reyes
Wesly Arca
Pau Marchey Malong

5𝒕𝒉 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

2nd Place Best Script
4th Place Best Infomercial
5th Place Best Technical Director: Grace Magno
5th Place Best News Presenter: Lady Mahinhin Reyes
5th Place Best Anchor: Marleth Mariano

𝐓𝐕 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇 | 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐁. 𝐀𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐨

𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨:
Hans Nera
John Ronald Drapiza
Jinzer Rhoan Ponce
Katrina Toledo
Leo Hizon
Haillie Rillera
Lance Castro

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 1𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑻𝑽 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒚

1st Place Best Developmental Communication
1st Place Best Script
1st Place Best Anchor: Hans Frederick Nera
2nd Place Best News Reporter: Lance Dave Castro
1st Place Best News Presenter: Katrina Anne Toledo
1st Place Best Director: Katrina Anne Toledo
1st Place Best Technical Application: (Technical Director - John Ronald Drapiza & Jinzer Rhoan Ponce)

𝐓𝐕 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐎 | 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐧 𝐒. 𝐑𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨

𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨:
Cassandra Margarette Gamboa
Joshua Santos
Aigie De Aro
Athena Valino
Chloe Lacaden
Jenmar Lorraine Dy
Christian Fajardo

𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 1𝒔𝒕 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑻𝑽 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒐 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒚

1st Place Best Script
1st Place Best in Developmental Communication
2nd Place Best Director: Jenmar Dy
1st Place Best Technical Application: (Technical Director - Aigie De Aro, Jenmar Dy & Chloe Lacaden)
4th Best News Reporter: Jenmar Dy
2nd Place Best News Reporter: Athena Valino
1st Place Best News Reporter: John Christian Fajardo
3rd Place Best Anchor: John Joshua Santos
1st Place Best Anchor: Cassandra Gamboa

To God be the highest glory!☝🏻

-SHSdaBEST!


________________________________

Layout by Rhiana Tunac

𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐄𝐇𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐒 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞! 📰✨

May your voices be strong, your stories be truthful, and your passion for journalism shine in every output. Carry with you the values of integrity, courage, and excellence—this is your moment to be heard. Go and make NEHS SHS proud!


______________________________________

Layout by Marky Dela Cruz and Rhiana Tunac

Page 1 of 365:

12 grapes, 12 wishes—bukod sa love life, sinama mo ba ang grades, friendships, at sanity mo this 2026?
As the calendar resets, Isang bagong taon na naman ang ating sasalubungin—may bagong simula, bagong pangarap, at bagong pag-asa.

Sa pagbukas ng panibagong pahina ng ating academic journey, nawa’y mas maging pursigido tayo sa pagkatuto, mas handa sa hamon, at mas determinado sa pag-abot ng ating mga pangarap. Happy New Year to everyone!





________________________________

Layout by Jenmar Dy
Caption by Athena Cudia

“𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠-𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐭.”
Ito ang diwang iniwan ni 𝘿𝙧. 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙍𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙡 sa sambayanang Pilipino—isang paalala na ang pag-ibig sa bayan ay hindi lamang sinasambit, kundi isinasabuhay sa tapang at paninindigan, kahit kapalit ang sariling buhay.

Ang 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘆𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗲 𝟯𝟬 ay hindi basta araw ng paggunita. Ito ay araw ng paggising ng kamalayan ng isang bayan—ang sandaling ang katahimikan ng isang pagbaril ay naging tinig ng rebolusyon, at ang pagkamatay ng isang tao ay naging simula ng kalayaan ng marami.

Sa alay ni Rizal, natutunan nating ang tunay na kabayanihan ay hindi laging may sandata, kundi may talino, prinsipyo, at malasakit. Hanggang ngayon, ang kanyang sakripisyo ang patuloy na humuhubog sa ating pagkakakilanlan bilang isang bayang handang magmahal, lumaban, at maglingkod.




________________________________

Layout by Marky Dela Cruz

Dear Santa,

We've been cute, puyat, and trying our best all year—surely that counts, right? 🎄📚 This Christmas season we take a moment to look back on a year filled with lessons, new encounters and victories. Between quizzes, projects, and last-minute submissions, we survived another school year, kahit minsan gusto na lang naming mag-holiday mode.

This Christmas, we celebrate not just gifts but the small wins, the barkada, and the moments that kept us going. 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨, 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨—𝙣𝙖𝙬𝙖’𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙖, 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙥𝙖, 𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙤 𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙜-𝙖𝙨𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙤. ✨🎄




_________________________________

Caption by Presley Garcia
Layout by Baki De Leon

𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 | 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐚
by Jereign Unson

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) insisted that ₱500 is sufficient for a Filipino family’s Noche Buena, claiming it can already cover staples like ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti—but if the public no longer fear how easily celebration is reduced to survival, if it no longer alarms that this five hundred has turned into 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘋𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋, then the nation stands on the brink of accepting a government that teaches its people to expect less and call it enough.

DTI said that ₱500 is sufficient to prepare a Filipino family’s Noche Buena meal. In an interview, DTI Secretary Cristina Roque said that with ₱500, households can buy ingredients for traditional holiday dishes such as ham, macaroni salad, and spaghetti. The statement instantly drew criticism and backlash from the public.

To begin with, fitting a ₱500 Noche Buena budget was never meant to be a challenge—it is the government’s out-of-this-world framing that makes it so. A proper Noche Buena is more than just food on a plate; it is tradition, a family get-together, and a celebration after a year of work that we will celebrate. Instead of cherishing moments that truly matter, are Filipino homes now expected to measure love and togetherness in pesos?

Roque, unshaken by the backlash, later on clarified that the ₱500 Noche Buena budget was intended only for a basic meal for a small family and would vary depending on household size; yet this clarification just adds up fuel to the fire, as it merely lowers expectations rather than addressing reality—₱500 remains inadequate, and redefining celebration as “basic” only makes clear how being deprived is slowly being presented as reasonable, and how people are being taught to accept less as something normal.

Even with the DTI’s price guide, a 500g ham at ₱170, spaghetti noodles at ₱30, and sauce at ₱48.50 already eat up most of the budget, leaving little for other costs. Saying that relatives or neighbors can chip in only highlights the problem: a Noche Buena that depends on handouts and lowered expectations is not “enough”—it’s too little to be called enough, forcing families to stretch and go without.

Additionally, declaring ₱500 as “enough” for Noche Buena is more than out of touch—it is a way of normalizing poverty. Recent data from SWS show that an estimated 17.4 million families considered themselves poor in December 2024—the highest in 21 years—and that the number of “newly poor” continues to rise.

Corruption is not only about pocketing funds, but it can also be seen in manipulating public perception. The first step towards change is for the government to stop treating deprivation as something normal and acceptable. Beyond the numbers, a shift in the government’s mindset is necessary; they must understand that celebration, joy, and family gathering in Noche Buena are not luxuries, it is essential to the well-being of the nation.

Defending the 500-peso noche buena is defending the government's incompetence. Citizens, too, must demand transparency, hold leaders accountable, reminding those in their chair that a nation is not fully measured by how little it survives on, but by how fully it thrives.

Resilience was never the gift promised to the people; it is a burden imposed upon them. Filipinos were always meant to count on a government that honors their lives, their families, and their traditions—not a government that teaches to bend, stretch, and settle for less.

There is fear that creeps in when the government counts ₱500 as “enough” for a family’s Noche Buena while its officials feast in lavish parties, sip expensive wines, and celebrate in halls that ordinary Filipinos could never dream of entering. It is the 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 of being invisible, of being counted as nothing more than a number in a budget—and knowing that those who are meant to serve the people are too busy serving themselves.

These could be in your New Year’s resolutions: just like in relationships, never settle for less, never let anyone convince you that barely getting by is acceptable, never shrink your worth to fit someone else’s measure. Demand a love—and a government—that truly values and honors you.

Claiming ₱500 is enough is an insult spread. A mockery fed that earns its name: 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃.




_________________________________

Layout by Jenmar Dy