The Pag-Ibig Fund is launching a mass wedding activity nationwide on Valentine’s Day dubbed “I do, I do. Araw ng Pag-Ibig,” and will give a house and lot as grand prize to the lucky couple who are Pag-Ibig members.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Pag-Ibig will sponsor the mass wedding in Bacolod City on February 14, at 4 p.m. at the Bacolod City Government Center that is expected to be participated in by 750 couples.

He said Pag-Ibig will also sponsor the token, door prizes, decorations during the mass wedding as well as the dinner of the newly-wed couples at the fountain area of the government center.

“This will be the most romantic of all mass weddings in Bacolod City because the setting will be the government center,” Leonardia said.

Ma. Lourdes Uy, Pag-Ibig Fund Bacolod branch manager, said they were informed by the Office of the Mayor that the number of couples increased from 200 to 400.When they sent the budget requirement for this occasion, the number increased to 600, she said.

Leonardia said they invited Vice President Jejomar Binay to witness the mass wedding in Bacolod on February 14 which will be the biggest ever in the whole Philippines since they found out that Manila will only have 300 couples.

He said he called Binay’s daughter, Nancy and asked her to try to convince the vice president to come to Bacolod to play godfather to the couples who will be wedded during the mass wedding.

Leonardia said he met businessman Ricardo Yanson at the airport and informed him that they will wed 600 couples on Valentine’s Day.

When Yanson was informed of it he said he will sponsor 150 couples more so the total couples to be married will be 750, he said.

“I think this is also something for us to celebrate since our couples will be legitimized and that has always been our trust,” he added.

Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said they thank Pag-Ibig for the support and hope this could be the start of an active participation of the agency in the projects and programs of the city government.

“We believe that in order for us to build a more solid and more God- fearing city, it is better to start with the union of our fellow citizens in Bacolod City through a wedding. It is but proper that their unions are legalized so we could also produce legally conscious children in Bacolod,” he said.

Leonardia said they are fostering this kind of project in Bacolod City because they believe that the basic foundation of society is the family, which starts with the husband and wife.

STRONG FAMILIES

“So if they can put their family in order, we will have stronger families and collectively, when we have strong families, we will also have a stronger society and a better city,” he said.

Uy said every Pag-Ibig Branch was required to submit a specification to their head office of a house and lot worth P400,000 that will be raffled off to all couples nationwide who will be married on Valentine’s Day.

She said Leonardia has requested that those who cannot afford to pay their Pag-Ibig membership for six months be allowed to pay for one month in order to be included in the raffle.

Uy said couples joining the mass wedding should have their names included in the list before they send this to their main office on Thursday.

The couples will also have cakes to be sliced during the mass wedding while SM City will provide some sponsorship, she said.*CGS

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