DIPACULAO, Aurora – A
septuagenarian businessman, who was a widower twice over, took a septuagenarian
businesswoman – herself a widow - as his wife, highlighting the mass wedding of
28 couples in this town Thursday afternoon.
Marcelo
Sebulboro Niegos, 72, and Estrella Palit-ang Gomez, 71, got lawfully wedded
after 11 years in ceremonies officiated by Mayor Reynante Tolentino here.
Niegos
and Gomez, both of Barangay North Poblacion here, vowed that while the deaths
of their previous partners led to their marital union, it is also only death that
could make them part.
“We
want our union to be pure so we got married,” said Niegos, after sealing his
union with Gomez with a kiss.
Niegos,
who was born on February 19,1941 – coincidentally the day the province
celebrates Aurora Day- has two children
from as many previous marriages. His first wife Amparo Pimentel died in Lipa City
Gomez
has six kids from a previous marriage to her late husband Felixberto Calderon who died in 1999.
Niegos
and Gomez met in North Poblacion where they
happened to be neighbors.
Gomez
said it was love at first sight. But she clarified it was Niegos who feel for
her on sight, not the other way around.
Niegos
said what is important is that they will now live together for better or for
worse, in sickness or in health and yes, “till death do us part.”
Asked
jokingly if she had no misgivings that she would suffer the same fate as
Niegos’ previous partners, Gomez said she has no such fear and that her love
for Niegos overcomes all fears.
Tolentino,
in his speech during the mass wedding, emphasized respect among the couples as
the foundation of their love for each other. “It’s important that you respect
each other because if you have respect, it means you love each other,” he said
before the 28 couples.
Tolentino
said since he became mayor in 2007, he already officiated in the mass wedding of
at least 5,000 couples in the town. He said these couples were married without
paying any single centavo to the municipal government, saving them expenses of
at least P1,500 per couple.
Last year,
Tolentino also officiated the wedding of 29 couples, including Ireneo Balangue
Jr., 58, and Emelinda Bellong, 49, both of Barangay Dimabuno, who finally got
married after living together like husband and wife for 27 long years and
having two children sans marriage.
Candido Velasco,
municipal civil registrar, said that aside from Niegos and Gomez, the others
who got married were Juan Paolo Dolores and Mary Joy Rojo, Loderico Gamilla and
Jocelyn Gonzales, Joel Bernardo and Virginia Evangelista, Leonard Agua and
Jennalyn Tumala, Marcelino Mico and Teresita Terre, Judy Carbonel and Girlie
Barte, Melchor Villamar and Mary Ann Hetosis, Dominador Garcia and Crisanta
Ruiz, Eliseo Pascua and Desiree Arcega, Frederick de Guzman and Ronalyn Ramos,
Allan Viernes and Geraldine Jose, Oscar Asuncion Jr. and Miriam Penaranda, Nestor
Montero and Jessica Ogian;
Elmar dela Cruz
and Maureen dela Cruz, Jovan Pacis and Melody Amin, Arnelio Marquez and Jenny
Posidio, Eduardo Blanco and Jocelyn Posidio, Martian Cuaresma and Genelyn
Alavar, Darwin Buenconsejo and Ma. Fatima Baroro, Edgardo Agustin and Emilyn
Peralta, Melvin Orpiano and Charibel Pelantagaan, Aristotle Sarenas and Mary
Jane Ocmer, Jesus Marzan Jr. and Yolanda Moreno, Virgilio Sevilla and Julieta
Lagmay, Kristopher Fernandez and Rodelyn Calaunan, Jayson Drapeza and Dolores Canonigo
and Orville Von Forbes and Ana Rose Acosta. – Manny Galvez
