Manila breaks world kissing record

More than 5,000 Filipino couples kissed simultaneously for 10 seconds to welcome Valentine’s Day at Plaza Rajah Sulaiman in Malate, Manila and set a new world record, organizers said yesterday.

Organizers of the "Lovapalooza," an attempt to break the record for most people kissing simultaneously in one area, said 5,122 smooching couples broke the old record set by 4,500 couples in the Chilean capital of Santiago last year.

The "kiss fest" attracted a crowd of about 30,000, which occupied the two-kilometer stretch of Roxas Boulevard from T. M. Kalaw up to Pablo Ocampo Sr. streets and caused monstrous traffic jams on all streets leading to the area up to 2 a.m.

The end of the 10-second clinch in a public park, led by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and his wife Evelina, was marked with a fireworks display that lit up the night sky moments into Valentine’s Day.

"There’s nothing like expressing our affection with each other," Atienza said. "In the process, if we can break the world record, it’s good for the city and for the country."

He added that Valentine’s Day is a day when everybody should set aside political differences.

"This is one way of projecting Manila and the country that we have something good to show, especially our capability to love and be loved," Atienza said.

Many of those who participated in Manila’s bid said they wanted to be part of a "history-making event."

"We just wanted to be part of the world record on the number of couples kissing simultaneously," 42-year-old British national Rey Dearden told The STAR. He was with his 28-year-old Filipina wife Estella.

Alvin Rondilla, 73, and his wife Tess, 52, said they wanted to show the world that Filipino couples "stay in love for eternity." They have been married for more than 30 years and were blessed with a child and two grandchildren.

"We always do things together," Tess said as she touched Alvin’s face.

Another couple who joined the event is 64-year old Angelo Lorenzo and his wife Pacita, 60, who have been married for 40 years.

Atienza had said the kissing event would be restricted to married couples, because of the Philippines’ conservative Roman Catholic culture, but a casual check of participants found many of them were not married.

Sweethearts Jun and Jane, both 19 years old, said they went steady a week ago.

"I wish Valentine’s Day would always be like this," Jane said.

Politicians and their supporters took advantage of the event, distributing campaign materials to those in the crowd.

It was gathered that representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records are now in the process of evaluating if Manila was successful in breaking Chile’s record. — With reports from AFP