VALENTINES DAY MASS WEDDING COURTESY OF MAYOR BONG AND FIRST LADY ANNE GORDON

This coming Valentine’s Day will be the most memorable day to a hundred couples in Olongapo City. A “Mass Wedding Ceremony” will be held on February 14, 2010 at the Olongapo City Convention Center (OCCC) courtesy of Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. and Olongapo City First Lady and Zambales Vice Gov. Anne Marie Gordon.

Mayor Bong Gordon and First Lady Anne Gordon will stand as godparents to the newly-weds together with City Councilors Gina Perez, Ellen Dabu, Rodel Cerezo, Jong Cortez, Nathan Manalo and City Consultants, Tet Marzan, Edna Elane, Bugsy Gordon delos Reyes, Ed Piano and Romy Guererro. Mayor Bong Gordon will also officiate the wedding ceremony.

As of press time, the Civil Registry Office headed by Karen Cajudo has opened one hundred (100) slots to couples living-in but not yet bonded by church or by law.

The requirements to qualify for the Mass Wedding Ceremony are as follows:

1. Applicants must be 23 years old and above and are living together

for at least five (5) years now;

2. Submit Certified True Copy of their Live Birth Certificate

3. Submit Certified True Copy of their first-born’s Live Birth

Certificate; if any

While for those living-in for only four (4) years, they should ask for a certification from the barangay captain. This will serve as proof that they are really living together.

Interested couples can get application forms from the City Civil Registry Office located at the City Hall with all the above-mentioned requirements and their 2010 Community Tax Certificate (CTC).

For couples 22 years old and below and would still want to join the “Mass Wedding Ceremony”, they should go through the usual process of the Marriage License Application like submitting Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR), Parental Consent and taking family Planning Seminar and Marriage Counseling.

Aside from the Civil Registry Office with telephone no. 22-3976, they can also contact the City Population Office (POPCOM) with telephone no. 224-8390 loc. 416 for more information regarding the Mass Wedding Ceremony.