Two-time widower, 72, takes widow, 71 as bride in Aurora mass wedding

DIPACULAO, Aurora – A septuagenarian businessman, who was a widower twice over, took a septuagenarian businesswoman – herself a widow – as his wife, highlighting the mass wedding of 28 couples in this town Thursday afternoon.

          Marcelo Sebulboro Niegos, 72, and Estrella Palit-ang Gomez, 71, got lawfully wedded after 11 years in ceremonies officiated by Mayor Reynante Tolentino here.

          Niegos and Gomez, both of Barangay North Poblacion here, vowed that while the deaths of their previous partners led to their marital union, it is also only death that could make them part.

          “We want our union to be pure so we got married,” said Niegos, after sealing his union with Gomez with a kiss.

          Niegos, who was born on February 19,1941 – coincidentally the day the province celebrates Aurora Day-  has two children from as many previous marriages. His first wife Amparo Pimentel died in LipaCity in 1992. His second wife Juanita also died in 1999.

          Gomez has six kids from a previous marriage to her late husband  Felixberto Calderon who died in 1999.

          Niegos and Gomez met in North Poblacion where they happened to be neighbors.

          Gomez said it was love at first sight. But she clarified it was Niegos who feel for her on sight, not the other way around.

          Niegos said what is important is that they will now live together for better or for worse, in sickness or in health and yes, “till death do us part.”

          Asked jokingly if she had no misgivings that she would suffer the same fate as Niegos’ previous partners, Gomez said she has no such fear and that her love for Niegos overcomes all fears.

          Tolentino, in his speech during the mass wedding, emphasized respect among the couples as the foundation of their love for each other. “It’s important that you respect each other because if you have respect, it means you love each other,” he said before the 28 couples.

          Tolentino said since he became mayor in 2007, he already officiated in the mass wedding of at least 5,000 couples in the town. He said these couples were married without paying any single centavo to the municipal government, saving them expenses of at least P1,500 per couple.

Last year, Tolentino also officiated the wedding of 29 couples, including Ireneo Balangue Jr., 58, and Emelinda Bellong, 49, both of Barangay Dimabuno, who finally got married after living together like husband and wife for 27 long years and having two children sans marriage.

Candido Velasco, municipal civil registrar, said that aside from Niegos and Gomez, the others who got married were Juan Paolo Dolores and Mary Joy Rojo, Loderico Gamilla and Jocelyn Gonzales, Joel Bernardo and Virginia Evangelista, Leonard Agua and Jennalyn Tumala, Marcelino Mico and Teresita Terre, Judy Carbonel and Girlie Barte, Melchor Villamar and Mary Ann Hetosis, Dominador Garcia and Crisanta Ruiz, Eliseo Pascua and Desiree Arcega, Frederick de Guzman and Ronalyn Ramos, Allan Viernes and Geraldine Jose, Oscar Asuncion Jr. and Miriam Penaranda, Nestor Montero and Jessica Ogian;

Elmar dela Cruz and Maureen dela Cruz, Jovan Pacis and Melody Amin, Arnelio Marquez and Jenny Posidio, Eduardo Blanco and Jocelyn Posidio, Martian Cuaresma and Genelyn Alavar, Darwin Buenconsejo and Ma. Fatima Baroro, Edgardo Agustin and Emilyn Peralta, Melvin Orpiano and Charibel Pelantagaan, Aristotle Sarenas and Mary Jane Ocmer, Jesus Marzan Jr. and Yolanda Moreno, Virgilio Sevilla and Julieta Lagmay, Kristopher Fernandez and Rodelyn Calaunan, Jayson Drapeza and Dolores Canonigo and Orville Von Forbes and Ana Rose Acosta. (Manny Galvez)

SONNY ANGARA WANTS PROBE OF OFW MYSTERIOUS DEATH

Team Pnoy senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara today urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to look into the mysterious death of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was allegedly gang-raped, killed and dumped along the shores of Kish Island, Iran on January 24.
The body of the woman, identified as Johanna Hilario Lamo, 29, was later found floating in the bay of the island where many OFWs are staying while awaiting their employment visa to the United Arab Emirates.
      
Lamo’s death was brought to Angara’s attention by Paul Cabrera,  Lamo’s fiancée and Angara’s fraternity brother, who sought the lawmaker’s assistance  in transporting the body from Manila to Tagum City, Davao del Norte for interment.
     
Cabrera claimed that no police report was ever filed with the Iranian authorities despite allegations of foul play.
     
“My prayers are with the family and friends of my brod and his fiancée, during this truly heart-wrenching tragedy,” Angara said. “I call on the DFA and OWWA to act with urgency and get to the bottom of this matter.”
     
He continued, “Such things seem to be happening all too often to our overseas workers. It’s only right that government ensures their security and safety wherever they are in the world.”
     
Lamo left for Iran in order to work and save up for her marriage to Cabrera.
    
Angara noted that many Filipinos leave for abroad to earn more for their families here despite the dangers they face in foreign countries.
     
“They contribute much to the economy. It is time to address the issue of why they need to leave the country and their families behind just to earn more. How many more remains do we have to bring home to realize this problem? I hope this will be the last,” he said.
     
Lamo’s body is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines tonight (February 28). Angara said members of his staff will be present at the airport to assist in facilitating the transport of her remains to Tagum City.

‘MOTHER KNOWS BEST’ SONNY ANGARA’S IMA TO JOIN PAMPANGA SORTIE

Team PNoy senatorial candidate, Edgardo “Sonny” Angara shared that his ima—Mrs. Gloria Manalang Angara—will show her campaign mettle and represent him in the administration coalition’s sortie in Pampanga province today.
 
Angara explained that he had to beg off as he is still nursing the flu after three weeks’ worth of non-stop campaigning.

“I was doing all that I could to become well enough to join the rest of the team. But my mother urged me to recuperate fully before heading out again,” said Angara, adding that there is still enough time for him to visit Pampanga before the May 13 elections.

The Harvard-trained lawmaker explained that he values his mother’s advice given that she has gone on the campaign trail numerous times already in support of her husband Senator Edgardo J. Angara—the longest serving senator in the post-EDSA Senate.

Angara, the current Chair of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education recalled how his father once described his mother and the persuasive power of women as the “secret weapons” behind the Senator’s fourth senatorial bid in 2007.

He added that he hopes to garner the same broad support, as he is the principal author of the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), which concretizes women’s participation and empowerment in all aspects of the family, community and society.

Just this Chinese New Year, Mrs. Angara and some women representing various sectors organized a fundraiser for his senatorial bid at the Manila Polo Club.

A former social science teacher, Mrs. Angara has served as Chairperson of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and a commissioner of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

She is a Pampagueña with roots in Mexico, Pampanga. She is also related to Rev. Fr. Felipe Manalang who was one of the early priests assigned in the 1950s to Arayat, Pampanga.  

“Like my wife Tootsy, I believe my ima will do great in advocating our message of the need to make more opportunities available to every Filipino through quality education and better jobs,” emphasized Angara.
 
Mrs. Angara is expected to be at the rallies at Guagua plaza and at Heroes Hall in San Fernando City, where President Aquino will also be present.