Floods and after: Couples retreat

DUBAI : Job insecurity and massive floods back home caused a ripple effect among Filipinos here, with only 14 couples exchanging vows in a mass wedding at St Mary's parish church on Wednesday.

In previous editions, well-wishers of up to 30 couples packed St Mary's. On Wednesday, the church was only half-full.

"It seemed like the media people who came to cover it far outnumbered the couples," said Rexy Marty, a member of the wedding committee. "Candidates" were whittled down from the initial 100 couples who intended to join, she said.

The parish started the annual mass wedding event in 1993.

Marty said at least 10 aspiring couples were unable to join this year when floods on the main Luzon island swept away or ruined their documents.

"At least one couple backed out when the groom lost his job recently," said Marty.

Charges are waived for mass wedding participants, including the cost of fresh flower bouquets on the condition that documents are submitted on time.

Each couple had their own entourage of flower girls, ring bearers, bridesmaids and best men. Most of those who exchanged "I do's" Wednesday were already married in civil court, but a church wedding remains a much-valued event among Filipinos, 85 per cent of whom are Catholics.

"Marriage is an experience of a lifetime. We wanted to be blessed," said bride No 6 Mary Ruth, 27, a customer service supervisor working in Jebel Ali, as she waited for her turn to walk down the aisle accompanied by her father, merchant mariner Capt Pastor Quime, 60, and mother Rosario, 59. She had already married her groom, Christopher Villarosa, 27, in court two years ago.

"Every Filipina still dreams of this one day. This is my day," said Mary Ruth as the choir softly sang Sunrise, Sunset.

In his sermon about love, patience and kindness, parish priest Fr Tom Veneracion exhorted the wives to submit to their husbands — and the husbands to love their wives. "The numbers are down, but this annual mass wedding proves people still believe in the relevance and significance of this sacrament," the Capuchin priest said.