SOME 150 couples are set to tie the knot during the upcoming Kasalan sa Pasko, according to Cecilia Celis, Marriage Division Head of the Local Civil Registrar.
In a radio interview on Tuesday morning, November 28, Celis said the event will take place at the Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center, with pre-registration already closed.
The registration period, which ran from June to September 2023, saw couples from remote barangays in the city participating.
Notably, the 150 partners include individuals from tribal communities such as the Ata, Matigsalug, Bagobo-Klata, Bagobo-Tagabawa, and Obu Manuvu.
The event's requirement is the birth certificate of the couple or any other proof of their birthplace and date.
Celis said that school certificates, national IDs, and member data records (MDRs) are accepted as evidence.
“Wala nay ginapili ma lumad o Bisaya mu comply na sila sa requirements tungod atung balaod ni President– nga bawal na miskag tribal nga minyu na minor. Ang tribal dili na pwede below 18 years old. Uniform na ma-Bisaya or ma-Lumad (There is no discrimination between Lumad and Bisaya couples in compliance with the law set by the president, prohibiting tribal marriages involving minors. Tribal individuals are now unable to marry those below 18 years old, making the rule uniform for both Lumad and Bisaya communities)," she said.
To encourage early registration, the office offers free registration and a Certificate of No Marriage Record (Cenomar), which typically costs P210 per person.
The Local Civil Registrar (LCR) exclusively caters to couples who have been cohabitating for over five years for the Kasalan sa Pasko, free registration, and Cenomar.
Leslie Lagare, Mobile Registration Section head, clarified that couples opting for independent marriage arrangements must present the same requirements, with the difference that they need to pay for the Cenomar themselves. RGP
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