Noche Buena (literally “good night”), a feast on the eve of Christmas, was brought to our shores by the Castillians as an adjunct of Roman Catholicism. Celebrated in Spain on 24 December as one of the high points of the year, it features family members gathering after celebrating midnight Mass to enjoy a feast of traditional festival foods such as jamon, queso de bola, paella and other specialties. 

In our country, we celebrate it on the same date and in the same manner, albeit with the addition of native fare: lechon, spaghetti ala Pinoy (with sweetish sauce), bibingka, puto bumbong, and the like. In many households, it is also an occasion to exchange gifts. And as it is in Spain and other former colonies (Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay and other Latin American countries), it is not only a big deal here, but perhaps the biggest deal of the year.

Yet some grinches in the present administration would destroy what most everyone in the country — parents, grandparents, close relatives and kids especially — look forward to by officially and officiously suggesting that, in light of the complaints about the high inflation and exceptionally lousy economy, five hundred pesos(!) is enough for four people to celebrate the most important of festivities.

That the suggestion was met with universal derision by the people shows that it is totally preposterous, which last word does not even begin to describe it. 

As if on cue, however, some pro-government bloggers (chefs included) immediately started posting videos showing how it can be done. Netizens were quick to point out, though, that aside from the fact that the videos were dishonest — not taking into account the cost of condiments and spices and cooking fuel — the meals prepared by these chefs, if served to their usual patrons, would end up on the chefs’ heads, plate and all, with the customer walking out in disgust.

Which brings us to the point: The job of a good government is to make sure that the least of its citizens will do with more and more than before, not with less and less. It would have been proper if we were at war or in the grip of a pandemic. But recommendations for the people to scrimp and economize on festivities leave a very bitter taste in the mouth when government officials and their kin live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, with monthly foreign travels, expensive private cars and aircraft, flaunting haute couture on social media while celebrating birthdays and weddings with international celebrities for their entertainment.

Christmas comes but once a year, so the old ditty goes. And the traditional Christmas meal is something that is truly looked forward to. By trying to shush the complaints of citizens over the high cost of living and the massive thievery of government funds by saying that the average Filipino can do with an average of 150 pesos per person on Christmas Eve is an insult that should not be tolerated, since it shows that the present dispensation did not only steal trillions, now it also wants to steal Christmas. 

It has converted a good night into a veritable bad night: “una mala noche, una noche extremademente mala” (“a bad night, an extremely bad nighy”). To these officials we say: “cabrones, hijos y hijas de mala leche, malparidos, comen mierda” (this is better left untranslated, or ask your Spanish-speaking friends)!