CEBU, Philippines - Eighty couples exchanged vows during a mass wedding at the National Shrine of St. Joseph Church in Mandaue city.
The mass wedding was initiated by the Mandaue City government
The annual project, conceived by Mayor Jonas Cortes when he assumed office in 2007, was aimed at helping poor families avail of the sacrament of matrimony with minimal expenses.
The lack of budget was the common reason why the 80 couples failed to have a church wedding.
Cortes said in an interview later that he wanted to focus on the family and strengthen it because it is the basic unit of society.
“I firmly believe in this cause and I want to reach out to as many live-in couples as possible through barangay captains and barangay development councils,” Cortes said.
Mayor Cortes and his wife Sarah stood as principal sponsors.
The number of beneficiaries has increased from less than 30 in 2007 to 40 last year and has doubled this year.
According to Garret Monroid, coordinator for the event, 100 couples registered for the program but 20 of them failed to produce the requirements, especially baptismal certificates.
“You couples have now received God’s blessings and we thank the city government led by Mayor Jonas Cortes for this initiative,” said Msgr. Arthur Navales, the main celebrant of the Mass. He was assisted by three other priests, Fr. Vicente Jay Villaceran, Fr. Johndy Enanoria, and Fr. Randy Nabria.
At the reception held later at the Mandaue Cultural and Sports Complex, the newly-wed couples made a royal march courtesy of Knights of Columbus and were treated to lunch and given gifts by Mayor Cortes and his wife. A giant cake donated by a certain Maritess Unchuan added color to the celebration. – THE FREEMAN