A COUPLE from Ozamis City made history at Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) after the man proposed to his girlfriend of over two years in a never-before- seen fashion.
Like a scene out of a romantic movie, Nathaniel Madrangca, 24, got down on one knee and with ring in hand, proposed to his longtime girlfriend Sunbeam Dicen amid the crowd of dozens gathered at the MCIA domestic arrivals area last Feb. 7.
The couple arrived in Cebu from Ozamis City last Feb. 7, via CebGo flight DG6794 at 3:29 p.m. on what Dicen thought to be an ordinary trip.
Five days earlier, Madrangca and GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC), the private company managing the airport terminal and other operations, were already in talks to pull off the first-ever public wedding proposal at MCIA. The plan included a harana (serenade), a bouquet of flowers, chocolates, balloons and “Will You Marry Me” cards.
“I grew up witnessing my relatives make public wedding proposals and I envied them for doing it. I told myself that if I find the right woman, I will also propose to her in a grand way,” Madrangca said.
But cold feet almost got in the way of Madrangca’s plan after seeing the huge crowd gathered at the airport—eager spectators of the wedding proposal. “I got nervous when I saw there were so many people around and I thought I almost could not do it,” he said.
Dicen, while waiting for her luggage, said she did not suspect a thing even as the Baggage Carousel moved to show rose petals, a saxophone, a violin and a guitar.
A local serenade group, called the Haranistas, picked up the instruments, and then began playing the couple’s favorite song Your Love.
Dicen was taken by surprise when suddenly customer service executives from GMCAC handed her a bouquet of red roses and chocolates. To Dicen’s surprise, Madrangca started singing Ikaw Ang Aking Mahal and the whole crowd sang along with him.
It was then that Madrangca got down on one knee, while his accomplice friends held up the “Will You Marry Me” cards.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Dicen broke down before uttering the word, “Yes,” and spectators cheered as the newly engaged couple sealed it with a kiss.
“I have no words to say except that I want to thank my fiancé for making sure that I got such an unforgettable proposal,” Dicen said.
The wedding proposal is part of the GMCAC’s “Love Starts Here” Valentine festivities, aimed at engaging passengers, as well as social media followers.
“Our Valentine’s campaigns say ‘Love Starts Here’ and for this one couple, truly, their forever did start at Mactan Cebu International Airport.”
The airport launched a week-long campaign featuring 150-word one-of-a-kind love stories in and around the airport. The stories are then shared on the Mactan Cebu Airport Facebook page for liking and sharing. The campaign rewards featured stories with chocolates, coffee gift cards, with the winning story receiving an overnight stay for two at a top Cebu resort. PR