BOTOLAN, Zambales — Vowing to have and to hold each other, for better or for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and to love and to cherish till death do they part, 364 couples officially became husband and wife in mass wedding ceremonies held in various Zambales towns on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

The wedding ceremonies were held under the “Kasalang Bayan 2025” project, which aimed to assist couples who may have financial or logistical difficulties in organizing their own wedding.

The nuptials were organized for free by local government units in the towns of Sta. Cruz, Botolan, San Felipe, and Subic, with local officials headed by Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. standing in as godparents. The newly-weds also received token wedding gifts from the LGU officials.

Here at the Botolan People’s Plaza, 105 pairs of sweethearts, most of them already living together for years, and some with their children in tow, were wed by Reverend Pastor Nathaniel Ravelo of the Baquilan Christian Church.

The weddings were witnessed by Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane, Vice Mayor Doris Ladines and other Sangguniang Bayan members, POPCOM officials Michael Hugh Carrera and Jane Bautista, as well as Local Civil Registrar Clevelyn Deliquiña.

Deliquiña said the couples were required to submit birth certificate and a Certificate of No Marriage (Cenomar) during a pre-wedding evaluation. Couples who are 18 to 24 years old were asked to submit a marriage license from the Local Civil Registrar.

In Subic, 178 couples took their wedding vows in the presence of Vice Gov. Jaq Khonghun and Mayor Jon Khonghun, who officiated the ceremony.

The couples included three elderly pairs: Rodolfo Marcha, who is 76 years old, and Vieto Bien delos Santos, 65; Paciano Lava, 74, and Virginia de Ocampo, 72; and Rogelio Galanza, 69, and Maria Amano, 75.

The youngest pair to be wed, meanwhile, were Sonel dela Cruz, 19, and Nathalie Arbitrato, 18.

The primary sponsors in the weddings included Zambales First District Congressman Jay Khonghun, Gov. Ebdane, Vice Gov. Khonghun, Board Member Ike Delgado, Vice Mayor Lauro Simbol, Councilors Elmer Tumaca and Cecil Felarca-Rafanan, Barangay League president Edgar Aximoso, SK Federation president DJ Lachica, as well as barangay captains and Subic LGU department heads.

Following the ceremony, the newly-weds received gifts from government officials that included a sack of rice, grocery packs, as well as cash. (Henry Empeño/Taktikom)