Bien-Unido town celebrates 34th year with mass wedding

CEBU, Philippines – Mayor Niño Rey Boniel of Bien-Unido town in Bohol said the better way to celebrate the 34th founding day of this seaweed capital was to solemnize the marriage of 58 couples at the Sto. Niño church here.

Father Rey Omamalin officiated the mass wedding, which was attended by the relatives of the couples and barangay officials from the town’s 15 barangays.

Boniel said a wedding is a blessing for every family that should be solemnized. Under the law, he could have administered the wedding, but then he deemed it better for the church to do it instead.

Boniel said his administration tried to be compassionate and eased some requirements for marriage documents for those who wanted to get married after long years of living together, with some of them having children already.

Bien-Unido was created as a municipality in 1981 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 93, pushed by then congressmen Bartolome Cabangbang and Cimafranca, according to the town’s history of this town, narrated by Councilor Ramon Arcenal.

After the mass wedding, Boniel, Vice Mayor Rene Borenaga, other municipal officials, the police, firefighters, and representatives from the Department of Education and other agencies gathered at the Municipal Hall for a short program.

Omamalin later blessed the new and old buildings of the town, and then a feeding activity for the children and senior citizens by the Department of Social Work and Development.

The mass wedding and the other activities were a prelude to the town’s annual fiesta on December 28 and 29, added the mayor. (FREEMAN)