“Marriage is not just marrying the right person. It is being the right partner.”
That was the message of San Pedro City, Laguna Mayor Art Mercado to the 30 couples whose hearts were joined together at the “Kasalang Bayan” held at the Pacita Astrodome on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
The “Kasalang Bayan” is an annual project of the city government of San Pedro, through the City Civil Registrar’s Office, in order to enable the city’s couples who are currently “living in” to legitimize their unions.
In her message, City Civil Registrar Riah Fojas emphasized the event’s vital role in affirming the sacred union between man and woman, as expressed by the couples who pledged their love and loyalty to their spouses during the event.
“Ang ‘Kasalang Bayan’ ay nagbibigay ng halaga at kumikilala sa pagmamahalan ng dalawang puso. Ang kasal ay isang espesyal na kontrata sa pagitan ng isang babae at isang lalaki na kinikilala ng batas at lipunan, na sila’y magsasama bilang mag-asawa,” Fojas emphasized.
Aside from officials of the city government, the event was also witnessed by two officials from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA): Registration Officer IV Marife Bautista from the PSA’s Calabarzon regional office and Registration Officer I Cherry Villanueva from the PSA’s Laguna provincial office.
The two officials also stressed to the couples the importance of having their marriages legitimized in the eyes of the law.
"Narito po kami upang ipaalala sa inyo, bilang tagapagtalang sibil, ang kahalagahan ng pagpaparehistro ng inyong mga kasal. Kaya po pinapaalalahanan rin po namin kayo na siguraduhing tama ang mga detalyeng nakalagay sa inyong mga marriage contract, dahil po kapag mayroon pong pagkakamali sa inyong mga contract ay magastos po ang pagpapa-correct sa mga ito," Villanueva reminded.
For his own part, Mercado expressed his belief that the success of married life lies in mutual love and trusts through the joys and challenges of living as a couple.
"For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. A good marriage is about never being too old to hold hands, in remembering to say 'I love you' at least once a day, in never being prone to speak angrily, it is starting together and facing the world, it is having the capacity to forgive and forget, it is the common search for the good and the beautiful," Mercado pointed out.
Aside from free processing of their marriage contracts with the PSA, the newlyweds also received free wedding cakes, meals, and photoshoots, as well as gifts from the city government to enable them to start their new lives.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews #KasalangBayan #SanPedroLGU #PSA