Buy Noche Buena items early - supermarket group

To save money, supermarket owners have advised customers to buy their Noche Buena items early.

The Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (PAGASA) said that adjustments in prices are to be expected as Christmas approaches and that they are only waiting for the price guide for Noche Buena items to be released by the Department of Trade and Industry on Friday.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the prices of Noche Buena ingredients such as sweet ham, fruit cocktail, processed cheese, mayonnaise, and spaghetti sauce had slightly increased from September to October.

PAGASA advised consumers to seize the opportunity to buy these goods at cheaper prices.

“Kung kayo ay handa na at alam niyo na kung ano ihahanda natin for Noche Buena and Media Noche, stick to it. Buy now, mas mura,” said PAGASA executive director Steven Cua in Vonne Aquino's report on ''24 Oras Weekend'' on Saturday.

(If you are prepared and already know what to serve for Noche Buena and Media Noche, stick to it. Buy now, it’s cheaper.)

“Inihahanda na namin yung price guide ng Noche Buena for this year, so abangan nalang po ninyo. Iaannounce naman po natin para din matulungan sila magbudget at tyaka makatingin [kung] ano ba yung mga options na puwede pagpilian para sa ihahanda nila sa Noche Buena,” added Atty. Cherryl Carbonell, officer-in-charge of the DTI Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau.

(We are now preparing the price guide for Noche Buena for this year, so please just wait for it. We will announce it so that we can also help them budget and see what their options for their Noche Buena meals are.) — Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News