Quisumbing to wed high school ‘crush’

CEBU, Philippines - High-ranking government officials are expected to start arriving today to attend tomorrow’s wedding of Cebu sixth district Represen-tative Luis Gabriel Quisumbing and his high school crush Maricar Hofileña.

Quisumbing, 35, will be tying the knot with businesswoman Hofileña, also 35, at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City tomorrow at 3 p.m.

The wedding will be officiated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his sister Ilocos Norte Governor Emee Marcos, who are Quisumbing’s aunt and uncle, are two of the invited guests expected to grace the ceremony.

Earlier, Quisumbing and his fiancée asked President Benigno Aquino III to be their principal sponsor, but he reportedly declined as it has been the latter’s principle not to sponsor a wedding while still a bachelor.

Aquino reportedly told the couple earlier he will be present at the wedding, however, due to the president’s hectic schedule recently, it remains to be seen whether or not he comes over, said Quisumbing’s chief of staff, lawyer Jocelia Bighani.

Aquino and Quisumbing are political allies both belonging to the Liberal Party.

Among those in the sponsor’s list are Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado, Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Senator Grace Poe and Secretary Rene Almendras.

Love story

Quisumbing and Hofileña met 20 years ago when they were both in high school.

The groom said Hofileña was his high school crush but he never had the chance to court her as he left for the United States to continue his high school studies.

He only had the opportunity to court her when they met again after 20 years on March 7, 2014 when his cousin, who is incidentally Hofileña’s bestfriend, brought the lady to the wake of his late grandmother in Manila.

They  started dating and later decided to be life partners.

In November last year, Quisumbing’s  Facebook account  carried posts that hinted of  wedding plans with photos of the couple together but the wedding was formally announced in a media gathering only in December.

Hofileña, 35, hails from Silay City in Negros Occidental but is based in Manila. She is a close relative of the wife of Vice Mayor Red Durano of Danao City.

The couple decided to wed on March 7 as it was the same date last year that they saw each other again.  (FREEMAN)