59 Couples Legalize Union in City-Sponsored Mass Wedding

Baguio City (PIA) – – Fifty-nine couples are now legal husband and wife as Mayor Mauricio Domogan solemnized their marriage during the city government of Baguio – led mass wedding on Tuesday at the Baguio Convention Center.

Of the 59 couples, majority have been living together and already have children. The oldest pair is a 50 year old man and a 37 years old woman. The youngest pair is aged 20 and 18.

Standing as primary sponsors were Vice Mayor Edison Bilog and the members of city councils. Wedding gifts were also provided to the couples by the city government and their private partners.

Domogan stressed that coming with their exchange of vows, as witnessed by the marriage sponsors and the Almighty God, is the lifetime commitment of each spouse to work together in ensuring a happy and fruitful family life as long as they live.

“What we are signing here is a lifetime contract that will legalize your relationship and will legitimate your child/children that were born out of wedlock but as divorce is not allowed under our law, it also comes with a lifetime commitment to love each other and to work together for the happiness and success of your family”, Domogan said.

“There is no perfect marriage, as we are all only human beings but what is important is we must learn to compromise, stay true and learn to admit mistakes, learn to ask forgiveness and to learn to forgive. More importantly, with God as the silent witness in this ceremony, we also made contract with the Lord, so make Him the center of your married life”, Domogan added.

The mass wedding is an annual event in the city since 1995 in celebration of Filipino Family Week every third week of September, by virtue of a City Council ordinance.

To date, there are already 861 couples who have legalized their union in the annual mass wedding coordinated by City Social Welfare and Development Office. (JDP/CCD – PIA CAR)