CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Barangay Dolores in this city will hold this June free marriage ceremonies for still unwed couples.
Barangay Dolores secretary Freddierick Gozun said barangay captain Vilma Caluag decided to pursue the project as she values the importance of having a complete family, which may help in creating a bright future for a child and other members of the family.
The project, Gozun added, values the nature of having a complete family wherein a child should have both a mother and a father to guide him while growing up. He also stated that some couples resort to live-in situations to lessen expenses spent in holding a wedding ceremony.
"Live-in partners tend to have a rough relationship for they are not really bound by anything and it is easy for them in the future to leave their partners. Aside from that, our village chief is also concerned about the fact that the children of these live-in couples might encounter hardships along adulthood since the child will be carrying the surname of the mother and not the father because the parents are not married," he said.
"Libreng Kasal", Gozun said, aims to hold free marriage for those live-in couples who want to legalize their marriage under the eyes of the law. It is tentatively set on June 28 pending the approval of Mayor Edwin Santiago.
"Kapitana believes that the most inner core of a society is the social and moral foundation planted by the parents to their children," Gozun said.
“Libreng Kasal” applicants should be 18 years or older, with birth certificates, residence certificates or “cedula,” and certificate of no marriage. Parents of the couple should be also be present during the ceremony. (Marionne I. Cayanan)