34 couples tie knot in mass wedding

CEBU, Philippines -Thirty-four couples tied the knot in a mass wedding yesterday at the St. Therese Church in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, sponsored by The FREEMAN chairman Dr. Jose “Dodong” R. Gullas and his wife Nena for the occasion of his 79th birthday.

Earlier, Gullas said that after learning that a huge number of Roman Catholics in the Philippines live together as common-law couples, choosing to put off wedding rites because of expenses, he was then motivated to hold a mass wedding.

Gullas said that he want to do something for the less fortunate and what will make him happy at the end of the day is the thought that deserving couples finally have the blessings of the Lord.

All government and church requirement fees were shouldered for the cou ples and top Cebuano makeup artist Jonas Borces of the Makeup Artists Club of Cebu took care of the hair and makeup, while the wedding attire was provided by Gullas’ friends.

The wedding reception was hosted by Jude Bacalso.

More than 200 inquiries from interested couples were made after the announcement of Gullas’ mass wedding last December.

The qualified couples were whittled down to 38 after three stages of screening which consisted of an interview, submission of requirements and pre-wedding seminars.Four of the couples were not able to make it yesterday to the mass wedding.

Gullas said that as long as he is able to, he plans to sponsor a mass wedding annually.

He is targeting 80 couples as beneficiaries for next year.

Today, Gullas and his wife Nena will also sponsor Confirmation rites at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral for twenty-five elementary students, 40 high school students and eight faculty members from the University of the Visayas.(FREEMAN)