TAGUIG PULLS OFF ANOTHER INTERNET FEAT: E-WEDDING

Taguig has pulled off another pioneering feat in Internet-based public service when it successfully staged its first ever e-Wedding project last Friday, April 27.

With e-Wedding, Taguig has put a new twist this year to its traditional “Kasalang Bayan”, or free mass wedding by showing the live video streaming of the matrimonial rites over the Internet.

The live video streaming of the free mass wedding, or e-Wedding, in Taguig came in the heels of the city’s successful staging of e-Grad project, which showed live videos of graduation rites in Taguig’s public schools that anyone with Internet access can watch.

Mayor Lani earlier said the e-Graduation project was launched to allow relatives of graduating students who are working abroad, to take part in the important milestone in the life of their loved ones.

“This is the same reason why we decided to do the e-Wedding,” she said.

As the wedding rites were held at the auditorium of Taguig City University, some of the relatives of the 146 couples, managed to watch the proceedings when they clicked on the link provided at the city’s website: www.taguig.gov.ph. The video is also available for replay.

Meanwhile, Mayor Lani added more spice to this year’s free mass wedding by giving special gifts to three of the participating couples.

Among those who received the special gift from the mayor were the pairs named as “Oldest Couple”, “Best-Dressed Couple” and “Early Bird” (or the earliest to arrive at the auditorium of Taguig City University, the venue of the mass wedding.

Each of the lucky pairs received cash gift from Mayor Lani, as well as one sack of rice, on top of the other freebies given to all the participating couples.

Lourdes Maga, 56 of Zone 6, Brgy. Signal Village, who tied the knot with long-time partner Rogelio Lansangan, was teary-eyed after Mayor Lani named them as the “Oldest Couple”.

“Natutuwa lang po ako dahil ngayon lang kami nagkaroon ng pagkakataong magpakasal at gawing legal ang aming pagsasama,” Lourdes answered when Mayor Lani asked her why she’s crying.

In their 25 years as live-in partners, Rogelio and Lourdes had 5 children. Now they also have two grandchildren.

“Habang nandito po kami, kaming inyong mga lingkod bayan, gagawin namin po ito. Hindi kami mapapagod na magsilbi sa inyo,” Mayor Lani said.

Couple Richard Hersano and Leilany Mangalao were named as “Early Birds”, while partners Gretson Layson and Elsa Magbanua were selected as “Best-Dressed Couple.”

Mayor Lani personally officiated the mass wedding to the couples, most of whom were living in together for so many years, but cannot afford a wedding due to financial difficulties.

The mass wedding was held as part of the gifts of the city government to its residents in connection with the celebration of the 425th Founding Anniversary of Taguig.

Eloisa Cruz-Castillo, chief of Taguig Civil Registry Office, said that based on the City Ordinance No. 72 Series of 2009, the city government is mandated to conduct a free mass wedding every Foundation Day and during City Hood Anniversary of Taguig.

Aside from free wedding expenses, the participating couples also got free flower bouquet for the bride, boutonniere for the groom; and wedding arras, candles, souvenir cakes and souvenir photos for the newly-wed partners.