THE cost of living in the Philippines varies greatly based on geography, economic conditions, and lifestyle. Not to mention the country’s ongoing battle with inflation, which continues to this day. 

NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stated a week ago that individuals who spend P64 or less for three meals per day are deemed “food poor” in today’s age, which equates to approximately 21 pesos per meal. 

Photo Courtesy: Rainier Ridao | Unsplash

NEDA shared that these claims were based on a study, which enraged the already puzzled netizens. When asked to provide a breakdown, the foods and beverages mentioned were the cheapest and least healthy options.

Due to their contentious findings, netizens can’t help but question if the organizations completed their study sufficiently, given that the food prices they stated were outdated. 

Is it realistic? 

A typical fast-food meal in a city like Manila costs between 80 and 150 pesos, although local eateries, or “karinderya,” provide more economical options, with meals commonly priced between 40 and 70 pesos. 

However, an individual’s 40 to 150 pesos will only allow them to purchase one meal, contradicting NEDA’s claim that a 64-peso food allocation for three meals each day will exclude individuals from being food poor.

Furthermore, the Philippines has had different amounts of inflation in recent years. The inflation experienced by Filipinos has a direct impact on the cost of basic essentials, especially food. 

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As inflation grows, so do prices, making it difficult for a set budget to meet fundamental needs. In the case of 64 pesos, inflation could swiftly abolish the purchasing power of this amount, rendering it insufficient over time. 

Despite NEDA’s remark, netizens continue to ask a fundamental question: if a daily budget of 64 pesos can really support three meals.

Will it be enough for a Gen Z student?

With the current conversation surrounding NEDA’s intriguing statement, republicasia conducted several interviews with Gen Zs to determine whether a 64-peso budget would be sufficient for them on a daily basis.

Dina, a 2nd-year Multimedia student, came to say that upon hearing NEDA’s statement 64 pesos-a-day food-poverty threshold not being far from the international poverty line is just as ‘tone-deaf.’ 

“That’s just ridiculous,” she said. “With the inflation rate and the continuous increase of food prices, I don’t think NEDA’s 64 pesos computation would be enough to feed a Filipino for a day. Just look at the prices in the market, you can’t buy a sustainable meal for the price of 64 pesos, what more if it’s three meals?” 

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With her 300 pesos a day allowance, Dina said that she usually spends more than P64 pesos, especially with her schedule that requires her to be present on her campus from 11 am to 8:30 pm. 

“I don’t have a meal plan myself, but I try not to spend that much so that I can have enough money for my food and transportation. Typically, I spend about P200 on my meals. Sometimes, I would just buy something from a convenience store, or the local karinderya to keep me going for the day.”  

Chelsky, a 2nd year accounting student, also disagreed with it. 

“I can say that it’s impossible to only have 64 pesos for three meals a day, because of the inflation that impacted the prices of basic goods.” She said that it’s not enough to feed the Filipinos and that it will only fit when you’re buying something for breakfast such as pandesal and an instant coffee. 

Chelsky also added how it’s not enough to buy a healthy and nutritious meal, especially with the prices of ingredients in the market. 

When going to school–oftentimes, Chelsky skips breakfast and due to this, she ends up buying coffee in her school or at the nearest convenience store which in total costs 50 to 100 pesos.

“Then at lunch, I spend like a P40-P100 meal for lunch. Then for dinner, I will just eat at home or skip dinner if I’m still full from my lunch.”  

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In total, just like Dina–she spends about 200 pesos on her meals in a day. 

According to her, her daily/weekly allowance typically fits as she only does it 1 or 2 times each day due to her school schedule. 

“I go to school early then I go home at night and the price of the school canteen food or the outside food is a friendly budget but not as friendly as a budget like the 64 pesos three meals a day,” she said. 

What about the working Gen Zs?

On the other hand, working Gen Zs have an opinion on the subject. Ian Capati, a 23-year-old news analyst, earns a monthly wage that covers his rent, expenses, and other requirements only.

Photo Courtesy: Ian Capati

Despite working from home, he is nonetheless subject to exorbitant food prices, even at a local eatery. “Food is a basic human right, yet I’m forced to ration it,” Capati said.

“Even a simple meal from a local karinderya costs me 100 pesos. To stretch my budget, I’ve had to skip breakfast and cut back on dinner. This isn’t just impractical—it’s unjust. Making it impossible to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle.” 

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Patricia de Leon echoes Capati’s sentiments. Her monthly paycheck is used on food, rent, and other utilities she must pay, all while combating inflation.

“Prior to working, hindi ko talaga na-feel ‘yung effect ng inflation mainly because I was being supported by my parents. Pero now that I’m earning and using my own money, it has been really difficult to manage my expenses,” De Leon said.

Photo Courtesy: Patricia de Leon

“Usually it costs me around 200-250 pesos per day for two meals kapag sa canteen lang ako bibili ng food. Pero kapag nagka-ayaan sa station to buy fast food, 250 pesos would be good for only one meal lang,“ she added.

Both of these working Gen Zs believe that the 64 pesos daily food budget is an absurd estimation for an individual, proven by how inflation has affected the market over the years, and the nutrition needed by an individual.

“Absolutely not! This claim by NEDA is not just out of touch—it’s offensive. A single meal at a karinderya costs 60 pesos for meat and 35-40 pesos for vegetables. What can 64 pesos realistically cover in today’s economy?” asked Capati.

“This gross underestimation by those in power highlights a deep disconnect from the struggles of ordinary Filipinos, and it’s time we demand policies that reflect the true cost of living.”

Health concerns awaits Filipinos

More than the concept of budgeting a working Gen Z’s monthly pay, they expressed their concerns about the health risks of settling for unhealthy foods simply to ensure that an individual spends only 64 pesos.

“If susubukan ng mga Pilipino ‘yung 64 pesos for three meals, it would cause health concerns,” remarked De Leon, an interventional radiology nurse in the medical field.

“As of now, considering the high inflation rate we are experiencing, ang mabibili nalang sa 64 pesos ay instant noodles which when consumed consistently can cause great health risk such as heart disease.” 

Photo Courtesy: Alessandra Sio | Unsplash

Meanwhile, Capati feels that reducing an individual’s food allocation will do significant harm, given the unhealthiness of the available food from the range.

“This amount forces people to choose the cheapest, least nutritious options, exacerbating the already critical issues of malnutrition and poor health among Filipinos,” he said

“A diet restricted by such a meager budget leads to long-term health consequences, which the government will eventually have to address. It’s a short-sighted approach that prioritizes numbers over the well-being of citizens.”

Meanwhile, both of these working Gen Zs are hoping that the government will take quick action to close the growing gap between living costs and basic needs for its residents. 

As recommended by Capati and De Leon, this can be accomplished by establishing price controls on basic requirements while raising the minimum wage to match the actual cost of living, guaranteeing that workers can purchase necessities without jeopardizing their health and well-being.

P64 pesos is not enough 

Coming from the food prices and the average price of their daily expenses these Filipino Gen-Z’s, all came to disagree on how the P64-a-day threshold should not be considered as ‘enough’ to sustain the price of three meals per day. 

Aside from tackling the high prices of edible goods and the rise of inflation rates, one should also look after what they’re eating, given that this may cause greater health concerns in the near future. 

Hearing what these Gen-Z had to say should serve as a wake-up call that instant noodles or any sorts of processed foods shouldn’t be the only basic food that Filipinos should be consuming, and should not be a standard basis of product prices.  

There’s nothing wrong with having a food budget, but an individual must remember that one shouldn’t deprive oneself from having a healthy meal, just because there’s a cheaper alternative. 

Therefore, just like most Filipinos, these Gen-Z’s came to conclude that the P64 to sustain three meals a day is not sufficient, and nowhere near being sufficient.