5,000 couples pucker up in kissing record bid

Will the City of Manila make it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the most number of couples kissing simultaneously on the eve of Valentines Day?

Officials of the Manila City government and Unilever Phlippines are confident of beating the world record set by Chile, where 4,445 couples kissed simultaneously for 10 seconds.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said the event, to be held along a two-kilometer stretch of Roxas Boulevard Baywalk today, is a unique way of celebrating Valentine’s Day in the country’s capital.

Atienza said the city government wants couples to be part of the history-making event.

In the list of 5,000 couples who have so far registered for the event are Atienza and his wife Evelina; models Bianca Valerio and Mike Carreon; incumbent Councilor Kim Atienza and his wife Felisa; and Apa Ongpin and his wife Ada.

The 10-second simultaneous kissing of couples will be the highlight of the six-hour affair along the boulevard.

City officials said music, games and other fun activities are in store for all participating couples.

Three stages will be installed along the Baywalk. Participants will be entertained by musical acts, topbilled by Freestyle, Passage, Acafellas, Paolo Santos, Noel Cabangon, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra and Sarah Geronimo.

City officials clarified that only persons 18 years old and above are qualified to join the event.

Registration has been ongoing at malls, schools and the Lovapalooza website at www.closeupplanet.com. Walk-in couples can still register at booths that would be set up along Roxas Boulevard.

Kissing Cops

Western Police District (WPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong will be deploying plainclothes policemen or sekretas who will mingle with the crowd or even join in the "historic" kissing event to provide protection and security to participants in the attempt to break the world record for the most number of kissing couples.

WPD spokesman Gerry Agunod said some 100 sekretas, complemented by Special Weapons and Tactics and mobile patrol personnel, will secure the area, where at least 5,000 couples are targeted to participate in the pre-Valentine’s Day event organized by the City of Manila.

The first-of-its-kind event is expected to attract crowds as early as 6 p.m.

"The police shall see to it that the people are protected from criminals such as pickpockets and snatchers who might try to prey on unsuspecting participants," Agunod said.

The venue has been also secured from terrorists as bomb-sniffing dogs from the WPD’s Explosives and Ordnance Division are working on the area since yesterday, according to Agunod.

"Our police should be keen-eyed in this kind of event, where thousands of participants are involved," he added.

Bulaong is optimistic that the Manila police can handle the event with "flying colors" just like any other event involving large gatherings.— With Nestor Etolle