Pinoys have been bearing the brunt of the skyrocketing inflation for a while now. A few years ago, a P1,000 budget for palengke or grocery store could get you items enough to feed a small family for a week. These days, that’s hardly enough for filling meals and other essentials. Many on social media tried doing a P1,000 challenge to prove that Filipinos still have it easy. Neri Miranda, who has earned the reputation “wais na misis”, couldn’t help but join the challenge to show that P1,000 for a Pinoy family is enough to sustain them for a week. But is her meal plan and grocery list realistic?

Neri Miranda’s Weekly Meal Plan

“Para sa mga nanay na mamamalengke bukas pagkatapos ihatid ang mga bata sa school, eto na, pakiprint na po eto, kumpleto pati palengke list,” wrote Miranda. “Nag-try akong mag-budget ng P1,000 for a week. Kung may sukli pa yan, pwede pangdagdag merienda o baon ng mga bata.”

In her one-week meal plan, Miranda included simple breakfasts such as scrambled eggs, corned beef, peanut butter sandwich, oatmeal, champorado, and lugaw. For lunch ideas, she came up with ginisang monggo, pork sinigang, fried bangus, giniling na baboy, tortang talong, chicken tinola, and escabeche. And, finally, for dinner, Miranda noted it as “leftovers” from lunch.

Her short grocery list for the meals included vegetables, proteins, and starches but without any information about each item’s quantity or weight.

Miranda, who is the wife of Parokya ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda, is a seasoned entrepreneur. Over the years, Neri has established over 10 businesses including Very Neri Wedding Gowns, a K-BBQ restaurant in Cebu named Jeju Samguypsal, and a newly opened restaurant in Tagaytay called Breakfast and Beyond.

Pinoys are not amused

Miranda’s post quickly gained traction online calling it “out of touch with reality” and “unrealistic.”

“This is the malungkot and deprived Neri’s meal plan lols! Kahit anong tumbling ko, hindi uubra ang 1k challenge for 1 week!” commented one Pinoy.

“Rich people making a[sic] content about the situation of the poor,” said another.

Others also pointed out that the grocery list didn’t include condiments, spices, and rice. In fact, Miranda’s list would be more realistic if it were for a single individual.

“Hindi makatotohanan. ‘Pag namalengke ako for one week, 3 lang kami, magasawa at 1 kid, nauubos yung P1,500 ko pero kulang pa rin, tipid na tipid pa yun,” read another comment.

As of writing, Miranda’s post has garnered 12k reactions and 4.2k comments from outraged Pinoys.

Neri Miranda gives out P1,000

In response to the backlash, Miranda edited her Facebook post’s caption to clarify that she made the meal plan with certain elements in mind, such as harvesting some of the vegetables from one’s own backyard.

“Sorry di ko nalagay sa post na ‘to na kunin ang mga sayote and other gulay sa bakuran, sa ibang posts ko po kase nalalagay ko minsan,” she said.

Miranda also offered her apology for those she unknowingly offended: “Madaling araw na po kase nung napost ko to. Anyway, pasensya na po. Next time ilagay ko po lahat ng details at how much. Kase sa amin po madalas free po ang mga eggs. Tapos yung vegetables and fruits namin kase mahilig po akong magtanim. Again, pasensya na po.”

If that wasn’t enough, she also started a giveaway for her overflowing stock of vegetable seeds. Miranda invited her followers to engage with a new Facebook post where Pinoys who are part of the top 50 comments will receive these seeds from her.

She also announced that she will be giving P1,000 to her chosen followers to help with their meal planning budget.

“Mamigay na rin ba tayo ng pamalengke? P1k budget sino po ang may need? Para hindi na mahirapan pa sa pagba-budget. Eto hindi unahan, pinakalahuli naman ang bibilangin natin para sa mga late nakabasa,” she wrote.

In under an hour, Miranda’s post amassed 1.3k comments.

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