“Araw ng pag-ibig” on Feb. 14: Mass wedding for PAG-IBIG members

CEBU, Philippines - Living up to its name, the Home Development Mutual Fund, more popularly known as Pag-IBIG Fund, will sponsor a mass wedding for its members including transport workers, household service providers and overseas Filipino workers.

Dubbed as “I Do. I Do. Araw ng Pag-IBIG”, the event will be held on February 14, 2013, Valentine’s Day, simultaneously on selected branches nationwide including Cebu North & Cebu South Branches.

To further make the occasion special, the number of couples participating in the event is limited to those who registered early with complete documents for the civil rites.

A maximum of 200 couples will be wed in a free civil wedding ceremony here in Cebu. They were accommodated on a first come, first served basis.

“With this activity, Pag-IBIG hopes to help couples who wish to be married but have no monetary means to do so,” said Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, Pag-IBIG Chief Executive Officer.

“We also hope that these couples will see Pag-IBIG as its partner, an integral part of their lives as they build and provide for their own families. After all, the first thing that newly married couples usually think of is having their own house as they start their families. Pag-IBIG wants the couples and their families to have a house that shelters them from the elements, and a home that nurtures them through the years,” she added.

More than helping the couples undergo the rites of marriage, Pag-IBIG hopes to use the event to promote financial literacy and greater appreciation of the concept of savings among the newlyweds. With membership to the Fund being a pre-requisite for at least one of the bride-and-groom pair, the member already enjoys the benefits of Pag-IBIG membership, which include savings and access to its short-term and housing loan programs.

“The event is one way for us to reach out to our members, helping them maximize their membership by informing them of the benefits of being a Pag-IBIG member,” Atty. Berberabe added.

“The event is unlike the usual mass wedding where the celebration ends after the exchange of “I Dos between the couples.  Pag-IBIG’s kasalan not just enables couples to legally bind their union but it also paves the way for the newlyweds to start a financially-solid future for them and their family. Pag-IBIG stands witness as the couples celebrate their love for each other on their special day.”

Membership to Pag-IBIG Fund has become mandatory to all Filipino workers, in the country and overseas, land-based or sea-based.

The Fund opened its doors even to income-earners from the informal sector, enabling those earning at least P1,000 monthly to savor the advantages of being a Pag-IBIG member. By reaching out to its members through events like the Araw ng Pag-IBIG, the Fund actively participates in nation-building as it increases its members’ awareness and capacity to save for their current and future needs.

Deadline for the submission of needed documents will be on or before February 08, 2013.

For further inquiries, Please contact Ms. Portia Bacalso, Van Pepito and Joy Aligan at telephone number 415-5003 or email at cebusouth_med@pagibig fund.gov.ph./PR (FREEMAN)