Man, 80, marries 21-year-old girlfriend

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – Love knows no age.

An 80-year-old retired policeman, known as the Eddie Garcia of Dagupan, married his 21-year-old girlfriend in a civil ceremony on Monday.

Pablo de Asis, alias Pabling, a widower from Sitio Bagong Baryo, Barangay Bonuan Binloc, is popular among Dagupeños not only as a loyal ally of former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. but also for his snappy dressing and a spring in his step.

The other day, he became the talk of the town when he married Jennifer Cagaoan, his young girlfriend from Victoria, Tarlac.

“It was love at first sight,” De Asis told The STAR two days after his wedding.

His wife was not around at the time of the interview as she was packing things up in her rented apartment before moving into the conjugal home.

Pabling and Jennifer address each other as “Babes” and went steady for two years before they finally decided to get married.

While Jennifer’s family did not object to the relationship, Pabling’s children and grandchildren objected at first when the couple began talking about marriage.

“But I love her so much and she loves me so much, too. It’s like you and me against the world,” he said.

Their wedding had to be postponed for ten days after Pabling fell ill and could not get up from bed.

Pabling said he fell in love with Jennifer because of her attitude. “She may be young in age but she thinks and acts maturely,” he said.

Jennifer assured Pabling she is not after his material possessions. To all doubters about the purity of her love, she once told Pabling, “They will see later how I love you. Your help to me cannot be repaid by money.”

Jennifer believes Pabling is her knight in shining armor because he came, like in a song, “at the right time in my life.”

The two met at the house of Jennifer’s friend in Bonuan Binloc. Jennifer at that time had stopped schooling as a sophomore nursing student in Lyceum Northwestern University here.

Pabling helped Jennifer look for a job related to her course in the campaign of Gina de Venecia, wife of the former speaker, who was then running as congresswoman. After the campaign, Pabling again helped Jennifer land a job, which she held until their wedding, at the CSI Mall owned by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez.

Through the two years they were together, Pabling said he had loved and accepted everything about Jennifer, including her past.

“If she didn’t love me, maybe we wouldn’t last this long,” he said.