Blind couple shares wedding with 172 pairs

Even though they are both blind, Arneil Alerta, 39, and Virginia Hidalgo, 31, said they could plainly see they were meant to be together.

Alerta and Hidalgo first met in Cagayan de Oro, where they both worked as massage attendants. Both had been born blind.

Thirteen years after their meeting, the couple from Barangay Uling decided to tie the knot along with 172 pairs in a mass wedding organized by the City Government of Naga last week.

The mass wedding was one of the activities of the City’s 8th Charter Day celebration.

In an interview, Alerta told reporters that it took him a long time to set their wedding because he needed to save a lot of money.

But then the City Government decided to offer the mass wedding at no cost to the couples.

Alerta said that even though it took them 13 years to tie the knot, he considered their wedding day a memorable one.

“Benindisyonan gud ni sa Ginoo. Grasya ni nga gihatag sa kahitas-an sa amoa (We have been blessed by God),” Alerta added.

They have five children.

Along with Alerta and Hidalgo, three inmates detained in the City of Naga Jail also tied the knot with their partners during the mass wedding held at the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in Barangay West Poblacion.

Last mass wedding

Of the 173 couples who tied the knot, 17 exchanged their vows in a civil ceremony officiated by City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong.

Aside from Chiong, present during the religious and civil proceedings were Cebu Representative Samsam Gullas (Cebu, 1st district) and members of the City Council of Naga, serving as principal sponsors.

After the religious and civil rites, the newlyweds were treated to a reception courtesy of the city government.

In an interview, Chiong said that even though this was the last mass wedding he would preside over as city mayor, he hopes the program would continue after his term. He is barred by term limits from seeking reelection in 2016.

A total of 932 couples have benefited from the City Government’s free mass wedding program since 2011.

While he admits that he does not go to Mass regularly, Chiong said he thought of the program as a way to give back.