• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Lucky couples who participated in the mass wedding of 2,023 Bacolod couples, got a total of P2 million in cash prizes, during a raffle at the Bacolod City Government Center on March 11.
The mass wedding, dubbed “Officially, You and Me sa ‘23 with Mayor Albee” was witnessed by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who represented her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Of the P2 million raffled away to the couples, P1 million came from the First Lady, and P500,000 each from Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and Mayor Benitez, who officiated the mass wedding.
Bacolod City is eyeing a Guinness World Record for the most number of couples to tie the knot in a single-venue mass wedding activity.
Benitez also said that one of the 2,023 couples, who was in labor and about to give birth, refused to be brought to a hospital, as they insisted on attending the mass wedding.
Mrs. Araneta-Marcos, whose family roots trace back to Bago City, Negros Occidental, said it was an honor for her to be “part of this important milestone in the lives of more than 4,000 lovebirds.”
“As you embark on a beginning for the rest of your lives, my husband and I wish you all the best. Congratulations to all of you,” the First Lady told the newlyweds.
Winners of P500,000 each were Mr. and Mrs. Jocel de la Peña, Mr. and Mrs. John Mark Magbanua, and Mr. and Mrs. Joeper Galvez.
The five winners of P100,000 each were Mr. and Mrs. Wilberto Maniclay, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bagahansol, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Roger Navaroza, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Pasilan, and Mr. and Mrs. Andrei Betios.
Prizes were also given to the oldest couple – Maximino Mataquil, 79, and his wife, Patricia Doremon, 72, couples with longest cohabitation (36 years) – Jimmy Seva and Rosemarie Paredes, and Rogelio Jordan and Wilma Ulgasan.
Best dressed couples were Mr. and Mrs. Crisaldo Quinsing, Mr. and Mrs. Jose Elvis Fang, and Mr. and Mrs. Rodolfo Diaz.
First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who has been married to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for almost 30 years, also shared secrets to a lasting marriage to the 2,023 couples who tied the knot in a mass ceremony at the BCGC on Saturday afternoon.
She said there is no magic formula to make a marriage work 100 percent, adding that each couple is unique.
“Since there’s no magic formula, allow me to take this opportunity to share three lessons that I learned from being married to your President for almost 30 years,” she said.
First, she said, couples should “make sure that the courtship continues” and having a regular date night with your spouse is one of the keys.
Second lesson, she said, is for couples to take care of each other and be “your spouse’s biggest supporter and ardent advocate.”
“Last but not the least, remember the saying happy wife, happy life. The real saying is happy spouse, happy house. Let’s make our house a happy haven for our loved ones,” she added.* with PNA reports
