01 March – Guimaras. One hundred forty-two (142) couples tied the knot during the free civil mass weddings in various municipalities in Guimaras in February 2024 as one of the highlights of the 34th Civil Registration Month activities.

The couples formalized their union in Buenavista (38), Jordan (28), Nueva Valencia (32), Sibunag (15), and San Lorenzo (29) couples.

“During Valentine’s Day, the Municipality of Buenavista and Jordan conducted its free civil mass wedding, while Sibunag, San Lorenzo, and Nueva Valencia, held theirs in February 18, 19, and 22 respectively, as part of their Founding Anniversary Celebration,” Provincial Statistical Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

Of the 142 couples who inked Marriage certificates in a mass wedding, the oldest groom was 72 years old, 77 years old for bride, and 20 years old for the youngest groom and bride.

Losare also cited that the mass wedding in each municipality officiated by their respective mayors – Hon. Samuel T. Gumarin of Buenavista, Hon. Cresente P. Chaves, Jr. of Jordan, Hon. Atty. Paul Vincent G. De la Cruz of Nueva Valencia, Hon Ninfa G. Gajo of San Lorenzo, and Hon. Annabelle V. Samaniego of Sibunag.

“Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Bayan Members of the respective town also witnessed the union of the couples per municipality,” Losare said.

The officiating officials also advised all couples about the significance of marriage, the importance of open communication, keeping trust and confidence, sharing decisions, and responsibility towards their children and their families.

The municipal governments sponsored the CENOMAR, marriage license application, venue, cakes, wine, and rings. For LGU-Jordan, they got one major sponsor.

PSO Losare of PSA-Guimaras and Statistical Specialist (SS) II of PSA Region VI, Jen Lito Esapol from PSA Region VI supported the wedding ceremonies in Guimaras municipalities.

Losare congratulated and gave her best wishes to the newly wedded couples and thanked them for making the right decision, highlighting that by getting married, they gave their children the greatest gift, especially those children born out of wedlock.

Losare also expounded that the annual free civil mass weddings of the LGUs are the best solution to address the problem of illegitimate children whose legitimacy status will change through the subsequent marriage of parents.

She advised the couples that after the registration of their marriage certificate, they shall visit the office of their respective Municipal Civil Registrar to apply for the legitimation of their children born out of wedlock.

“By responding to the call of your Local Officials to be part of the civil mass wedding facilitated by the Local Civil Registry Officers, you contributed a lot to the government in achieving the Civil Registry and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Decade goal that by 2024 no one shall be left behind unregistered,” Losare said.

Losare further explained that late Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, III pledged to support the CRVS decade goal during the Asia and Pacific Ministerial Conference on CRVS held in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 2014, declaring 2015-2014 as the CRVS decade with an end goal of zeroing out unregistered births.

Losare also took the opportunity to express her gratitude to the Local Chief Executives, Brgy. Officials, Secretaries, and Brgy. Health Workers (BHWs) in supporting the MCRs and the PSA in the implementation of the Brgy. Civil Registry System (BCRS), a mechanism that helped identify the unregistered and unmarried individuals who will be subjected to a mobile registration and free civil mass wedding for the attainment of the CRVS decade goal.

“To achieve the CRVS decade goal, the PSA implemented the Birth Registration Assistance Project (BRAP) to help the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the poorest of the poor sector to register free of charge,” Losare said.