BACOLOD City — The city government here is set to hold a mass wedding on February 14 as part of its effort to provide couples with an affordable, legal, and accessible marriage ceremony while strengthening family stability and granting legal rights and social recognition.
Mayor Greg Gasataya confirmed in a media interview that the annual mass wedding will once again be held on Valentine’s Day, although the final number of participating couples is still being coordinated with the City Civil Registry Office.
“As much as possible, we do not want the number to reach the thousands because that would be very tiring for everyone, so we are considering setting a limit,” Gasataya said.
The mayor said he has suggested to City Civil Registrar Atty. Hermilo Pa-oyon the possibility of decentralizing the activity instead of holding one large-scale event.
Gasataya proposed that barangays with large populations may include mass weddings as part of their local celebrations, such as festivals or charter day activities.
“For the past six months, we have been conducting mass weddings in this manner. Instead of holding one big event, we integrate the activity into barangay programs. This approach reduces expenses and allows couples to invite more guests,” he explained.
During previous administrations, the city conducted large-scale mass weddings, with the biggest turnout recorded on March 11, 2023, when 2,023 couples were wed at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds during the administration of then Mayor and now Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
Gasataya noted that holding the event at the BCGC this year would be difficult due to the ongoing Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) operations.
“We are now looking at alternative venues outside the BCGC,” he said, adding that two possible locations have already been identified but have yet to be finalized.
The mayor said the city is considering limiting the number of couples to around 200 to allow for a more intimate ceremony.
The mass wedding program was institutionalized through City Ordinance No. 08-15-740, Series of 2015, also known as the Bacolod City Mass Wedding Ordinance, which provides marriage services free of charge to participating couples.
The event also forms part of the celebration of Philippine Civil Registration Month every February and is highlighted by the annual mass wedding, popularly known as “Kasalan ng Bayan.”/PN
