By
Digna Banzon
February
15, 2019
 |
MASS WEDDING. Regional
Trial Court Executive Judge Emmanuel Carpio officiates the mass wedding
sponsored by Pag-IBIG Fund on
Valentine's Day at the Ritz Hotel in Davao City. (PNA photo by Digna Banzon)
DAVAO
CITY -- A hundred couples from the Davao region said "I do" in the
annual mass wedding sponsored by the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) or
Pag-IBIG Fund on Valentine's Day Thursday.
Now
on its eighth year, the mass wedding rites dubbed "I Do, I Do Araw ng
Pag-ibig" was officiated by Judge Emmanuel C. Carpio at the Ritz Hotel,
Garden Oases, this city.
Of
the number, 85 were from Davao City, six from Tagum City, seven from Digos
City, and two from Panabo City.
From
2012 to 2019, Pag-IBIG Fund sponsored the wedding of 1,239 couples in the Davao
region and 21,000 couples across the country.
The
mass wedding was held simultaneously in 12 other sites in the country at the
National Capital Region; Ilocos region; Cagayan Valley; Central Luzon; southern
Tagalog region; Bicol; northern, southern, and western Visayas; northern, south
western, and western Mindanao.
Pag-IBIG
Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy Moti, in a video message during the
ceremony, said the Fund remains strong with the support and trust of members.
"If
the trust and support of our members were the reasons that made our Fund
strong, your trust with each other will also make your marriage stable and
strong," he said.
Pag-IBIG
Fund chairman of the board of trustees Eduardo del Rosario, who is also
chairman of the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), told
the couples to build good memories, always be inspired and willing to share.
He
said, "As we hold this yearly undertaking, we wish to be a significant
part of the members on this special occasion."
He
advised couples to take care of their relationship, respect each other's
opinions and rights, reminding them that "Pag-ibig" or love is the
guide to a peaceful and smooth relationship as husband and wife.
Five-year-old
Kelly Gestupa, who witnessed the union of her parents, Leonard and Marie Grace,
said she was so happy.
Leonard
Gestupa, who works in a hardware store, has been a Pag-IBIG member for three
years.
He
knew of the activity through Facebook and signified to join the ceremony
through the Pag-IBIG Fund Davao Central Office.
Marie
Grace, who is five months pregnant for their second child, said they were
thankful for the program as it has been their wish to legalize their
relationship.
"We
are all happy and we see in Kelly how happy she was," she added.
The
Handog ng Pag-IBIG Fund I Do. I Do, Araw ng Pag-IBIG in Davao was spearheaded
by the Southern Mindanao group, led by its area head Manolito Olegario. It was
graced by the Fund's Board of Trustees member Pedrito G. Angeles; Vice
President for Members Services Operations for Visayas/Mindanao Rio R. Teves;
Vice President for Housing for Visayas and Mindanao Marie Antoniette Diaz, and
other officials.
The
"I Do, I Do" event has won several awards for Pag-IBIG Fund. In 2013,
the event won the first Philippine Quill for a Government Communication Program
for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines.
The
following year, it was given the Bronze Award by the Advertising Foundation of
the Philippines for Advocacy Communications for promoting the values of
reverence for the family unit or marriage and responsible parenthood.
It
also was cited on the same year by the TV show Philippine Book of Records as
having the "most number of couples in a nationwide mass wedding." In
2016, the ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) gave it the Excellence Award
under Strategic Communication. (PNA)
