OPINION
Ed Javier
DTI Sec. Roque's Noche Buena Math Heartless And Out Of Touch
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There are moments in governance when the issue is not the policy, not the numbers, and not even the scandal of the week.
Sometimes the breaking point is something small, symbolic, almost tender, like Noche Buena.
So when DTI Secretary Cristina Roque stood in front of cameras insisting that a family of four can celebrate Noche Buena for ₱500, she didn’t just sound out of touch.
She exposed the widening gap between those in power and the Filipinos they claim to understand.
Roque, a polished executive and owner of a high-end clothing brand, looked almost offended that people dared question her math.
She kept her tone firm, as if she were lecturing a classroom that simply didn’t study hard enough.
But what she completely missed is that this is not about arithmetic.
Yes, the math may add up, but Noche Buena is not only about calories or cost. It is about dignity, joy, and the momentary relief from hardship.
We are not arguing numbers, we are highlighting empathy and understanding, which a Cabinet secretary should have when speaking to millions of struggling families.
For Filipinos, especially the poor, Noche Buena is not just a meal. It is the one night when the country’s burdens pause.
When children tear open small presents, when Christmas carols fill the air, when ninongs hand crisp bills to their godchildren, when families cook together, when neighbors gather for Simbang Gabi.
It is the one night everyone, no matter how poor, can forget hunger, debt, and daily hardship for a few magical hours.
That is why the public exploded. People are not angry about the price of ham, macaroni salad or spaghetti.
They are angry that a Cabinet secretary thinks poverty is a budgeting exercise.
They are angry at leaders who cannot read the national mood, at a time when disgust is already overflowing, from ghost projects, useless flood control programs, and allegations of politicians, cabinet executives, and contractors getting rich while communities drown again and again.
No wonder the DTI’s performance under Roque raises serious questions.
If a secretary can reduce Noche Buena to a mathematical exercise, then it’s not surprising that the agency itself feels distant from the daily struggles of ordinary families.
People aren’t looking for perfect formulas, they’re looking for leaders who understand how hard life has become and who treat their concerns with respect, not cold arithmetic
Let’s review the DTI performance: the agency’s ₱1.75‑trillion investment target for 2025 had to be revisited mid‑year after a slow start, signaling that expectations were already off-track.
June 2025 FDI net inflows fell to US$376 million, a 17.8% decline from the same month in 2024, and the first half of the year saw FDI drop to US$3.418 billion, down 23.8% year-on-year.
These numbers show that under Roque, the DTI is failing both to meet ambitious investment goals and to sustain momentum in attracting foreign capital.
If you cannot even lead your own agency, the very least you can do is understand the plight of poor, ordinary families, yet here she appears heartless to their reality.
The hypocrisy stings because her agency regulates PCAB licenses, the very pipeline where questionable contractors begin their journey to become billionaires on public money.
People remember these things.
Officials like Roque are dragging the Marcos administration down.
Investors are not impressed by leaders who talk down to their citizens, and the public is certainly not impressed by a government that confuses privilege with competence.
The public doesn’t need math lessons. They need honesty, competence, and empathy.
More importantly, they deserve leaders who understand the citizenry they are supposed to serve.
It’s not the math. Don’t you get it, Ma’am Secretary?
Hindi lang po ito isyu ng presyo. Isyu ito ng paggalang.
Sa mga pamilyang araw-araw lumalaban sa hirap, ang Pasko ang isang mahalagang araw na masayang pagsasaluhan ang Noche Buena kasama ang buong pamilya.
Ito ang gabi kung kailan puwedeng pansamantalang limutin ang problema, kahit hinihigop ng baha ang kanilang bahay dahil sinasayang ng pamahalaan ang pera sa mga proyekto na wala namang kabuluhan.
Kaya huwag niyo po kaming turuan ng pagtitipid, Madam. Alam namin ‘yan buong taon kahit wala kaming kamiseta.
Sometimes the breaking point is something small, symbolic, almost tender, like Noche Buena.
So when DTI Secretary Cristina Roque stood in front of cameras insisting that a family of four can celebrate Noche Buena for ₱500, she didn’t just sound out of touch.
She exposed the widening gap between those in power and the Filipinos they claim to understand.
Roque, a polished executive and owner of a high-end clothing brand, looked almost offended that people dared question her math.
She kept her tone firm, as if she were lecturing a classroom that simply didn’t study hard enough.
But what she completely missed is that this is not about arithmetic.
Yes, the math may add up, but Noche Buena is not only about calories or cost. It is about dignity, joy, and the momentary relief from hardship.
We are not arguing numbers, we are highlighting empathy and understanding, which a Cabinet secretary should have when speaking to millions of struggling families.
For Filipinos, especially the poor, Noche Buena is not just a meal. It is the one night when the country’s burdens pause.
When children tear open small presents, when Christmas carols fill the air, when ninongs hand crisp bills to their godchildren, when families cook together, when neighbors gather for Simbang Gabi.
It is the one night everyone, no matter how poor, can forget hunger, debt, and daily hardship for a few magical hours.
That is why the public exploded. People are not angry about the price of ham, macaroni salad or spaghetti.
They are angry that a Cabinet secretary thinks poverty is a budgeting exercise.
They are angry at leaders who cannot read the national mood, at a time when disgust is already overflowing, from ghost projects, useless flood control programs, and allegations of politicians, cabinet executives, and contractors getting rich while communities drown again and again.
No wonder the DTI’s performance under Roque raises serious questions.
If a secretary can reduce Noche Buena to a mathematical exercise, then it’s not surprising that the agency itself feels distant from the daily struggles of ordinary families.
People aren’t looking for perfect formulas, they’re looking for leaders who understand how hard life has become and who treat their concerns with respect, not cold arithmetic
Let’s review the DTI performance: the agency’s ₱1.75‑trillion investment target for 2025 had to be revisited mid‑year after a slow start, signaling that expectations were already off-track.
June 2025 FDI net inflows fell to US$376 million, a 17.8% decline from the same month in 2024, and the first half of the year saw FDI drop to US$3.418 billion, down 23.8% year-on-year.
These numbers show that under Roque, the DTI is failing both to meet ambitious investment goals and to sustain momentum in attracting foreign capital.
If you cannot even lead your own agency, the very least you can do is understand the plight of poor, ordinary families, yet here she appears heartless to their reality.
The hypocrisy stings because her agency regulates PCAB licenses, the very pipeline where questionable contractors begin their journey to become billionaires on public money.
People remember these things.
Officials like Roque are dragging the Marcos administration down.
Investors are not impressed by leaders who talk down to their citizens, and the public is certainly not impressed by a government that confuses privilege with competence.
The public doesn’t need math lessons. They need honesty, competence, and empathy.
More importantly, they deserve leaders who understand the citizenry they are supposed to serve.
It’s not the math. Don’t you get it, Ma’am Secretary?
Hindi lang po ito isyu ng presyo. Isyu ito ng paggalang.
Sa mga pamilyang araw-araw lumalaban sa hirap, ang Pasko ang isang mahalagang araw na masayang pagsasaluhan ang Noche Buena kasama ang buong pamilya.
Ito ang gabi kung kailan puwedeng pansamantalang limutin ang problema, kahit hinihigop ng baha ang kanilang bahay dahil sinasayang ng pamahalaan ang pera sa mga proyekto na wala namang kabuluhan.
Kaya huwag niyo po kaming turuan ng pagtitipid, Madam. Alam namin ‘yan buong taon kahit wala kaming kamiseta.
Ed Javier
Ed Javier is a veteran communicator with over 35 years of experience in corporate, government, and advocacy communications, spanning the terms of seven Philippine presidents. He is also a political analyst, entrepreneur, and media professional. Drawing on this experience, he delivers clear, accessible analysis of political, governance, and business issues.
Nov 28, 2025
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