263 couples in Manila say 'I do' in VM Yul's Kasalang Bayan

A total of 263 couples tied the knot in the Kasalang Bayan sponsored by the city government.
The free wedding was held on Feb. 14 in Paco Park, Manila
"Kasalang Bayan" is an annual project of Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto under the Lingkod Manileño.
It is included in the activities in celebrating his birth month every February.
The city government said the public wedding is the largest group of Manileño couples, many of whom have been together with their children for a long time as a family, although not married.
"Bilang isang serbisyo publiko, ako po ay naniniwala sa kahalagahan ng kasal sa harap ng pari. Kaya ginagawa ko po itong kasalang bayan bawat taon para matulungan ang mga magkatipang gusto ng magpakasal ng pormal at hindi lamang nila ito magawa dahil sa kakulangan sa buhay, lalong lalo na sa magkatipang matagal ng nagsasama bagamat hindi kasal (I believe in the importance of church weddings. But as a form of public service, I do this town wedding every year to help couples who want to get married but lack the means to do so, especially for couples who have been together for a long time without the benefit of marriage),” said Nieto.
Ryan and Lea from the first district of Manila, one of the couples who got married, said they have been together for 16 years and have three children.
"Kaya malaki po talaga ang aking pasasalamat kay Vice Mayor Nieto sa programa niyang ito, dahil binigyan niya ng tunay na dahilan ang buhay namin bilang isang pamilya na may takot sa Diyos (That's why I'm really grateful to Vice Mayor Nieto for this program, because he gave meaning to our life as a God-fearing family),” said Ryan.
Servo thanked Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan for helping him mount the mass wedding by way of tapping all local government units whose involvement made the program a success.
Last year, hundreds of couples also availed of the free wedding, making them legally married couples under the Roman Catholic rites.