2,013 couples to wed in Bacolod City today

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  â€” A mass wedding, dubbed “2013 in 2013,” will wed 2,013 couples in ceremonies to be officiated by Mayor Evelio Leonardia at the Bacolod Government Center grounds today (Feb. 16).

This will be the biggest mass wedding in Bacolod, and the city government is vying for the record of having the biggest one around the country, and hopefully for the Guinness Book of World Records, too, Leonardia said.

The mass wedding was originally scheduled Feb. 14 but it was moved to Feb. 16 to accommodate the schedule of Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, an adopted son of Bacolod, Senator Franklin Drilon and former Ilocos Sur governor Luis “Chavit” Singson, who will all serve as godfathers of the 2,013 couples.

Leonardia said the mass wedding is a tradition observed in Bacolod City every year. He recalled that last year, Vice President Jejomar Binay came to Bacolod to attend same event, which was then the biggest with 775 couples.

The couples were urged to invite their friends and relatives, and the public to witness this historic event, said the mayor.

Leonardia said he is happy to note that there are more couples now wanting to get married because, “We would like our society to be a stronger community and we believe that marriage is the foundation of a family which is the basic unit of society.”

Leonardia said one of the primary purposes in accommodating a mass wedding is that most of the couples cannot afford to spend for a church wedding. “For us, this is a form of public service and we do not charge them a single centavo.”

The city government and corporate sponsors will provide the food for the couples and their guests.  (FREEMAN)