CEBU, Philippines - For the fourth time, the Cebu City government, in its effort to legalize the union of couples who are already living together as husband and wife for at least five years, is sponsoring a mass wedding on September 26 at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.
Councilor Lea Ouano-Japson, head of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs of the City Council, said that the city is set to spend at least P600,000 for the event.
As of yesterday, 45 couples from 16 barangays of the city already expressed interest to join the mass wedding by filing in their applications.
The city opens the project to a maximum of 150 couples. However, each couple is allowed to take with them 25 guests only.
Japson said that those who wish to avail of the program should submit their applications to her office not later than August 10.
She also said that they will be throwing surprises for the couples who will be part of the mass wedding project with the theme “Kaminyoon: Palig-onon mo, ipahiluna ko.”
The project, Japson said, allows the city to reach out to unmarried couples by giving them the opportunity to have their union solemnized in the Church as well as providing them a wedding ceremony and reception to be cherished.
According to Japson, the family being the basic unit of society is, after all, the “key factor in the micro-approach to national development”; thus, deserves the government’s all-out support.
After the mass wedding, reception will follow shortly at the sports gym of the University of Cebu-Mambaling campus (or at the Maritime Education Training Center).
The applicants are required to secure clearances, particularly the Cenomar certification from the National Statistics Office as proof of no previous marriage. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)