To Mark 5th Charter Day, Mass wedding in Naga

CEBU, Philippines - Two hundred eighty unwed couples in Naga City will exchange vows in a mass wedding to be held at the St. Francis de Assisi Parish Church on September 1.

The mass wedding will serve as one of the highlights of the celebration of the city’s 5th charter anniversary, which falls on Sept. 5.

Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong said the wedding shall be officiated by Father Marchel Urgel. 

The city will pay for the fees needed to acquire documents such as Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR), certificate of marriage, birth certificates, and even marriage counseling. 

Naga officials have chosen Sept. 5 as the city’s Charter Day. It coincides with Mayor Chiong’s birthday.

Chiong has listed infrastructure, tourism, and education plan as part of his road map, which he calls “Vision And Leadership (VAL) 2020.”

His priorities include a P40-million mall-type public market, the City of Naga Community College, a new public cemetery, and the construction of a port at the reclaimed land.

So far, the city has already established its public market and community college. 

Naga is home to the 200-megawatt Kepco-Salcon Power Plant, the Sarimanok feed mill, and Sherilyn Agro, among others.

Chiong said that after Naga was declared a city, it received P18 million a month as its share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

But it was not easy for Naga after it was declared as one of the cities. 

When Naga and the other 15 localities were reverted back to municipalities effective May 2010, the IRA share dropped to P8 million a month.

From May 2010 to May 2011, Naga, in effect, lost P120 million in IRA shares, enough to build additional school buildings and speed up the delivery of basic services.

On February 15, 2011, the Supreme Court upheld for the third time the cityhood of Naga and 15 other towns in the country. – THE FREEMAN