PAOAY, Ilocos Norte — The wedding was a political healing of sort, this how many political observers view the union of Michael Ferdinand Marcos-Manotoc and Carina Angela Gamboa Manglapus here on Saturday at the majestic Paoay Church.
The couple got married in a private ceremony in Makati but was followed by the traditional ‘bales” in Paoay.
Marcos Sr.’s grandson, Lawyer Michael Ferdinand Manotoc, is the second among the three sons of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos while the bride, Carina Amelia Manglapus, is the granddaughter of the opposition candidate Raul Manglapus.
The old Manglapus who went on exile to the US during the martial law years after losing the presidency to Marcos Sr.
Michael and Carina maintained their relationship despite the long history of the Marcos-Manglapus “feud.”
The pair had a baby girl named Amelia Margarita “Mia” last March 2016.
The two met in 2014 at the wedding of Marcos Sr.’s grandson, Luis Marcos-Araneta, where Carina was a guest of the bride, Xandra Rocha.
Michael passed the bar exam in 2014 after graduating from the University of the Philippines College of Law while Carina has a career in singing and music after finishing a creative writing degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.
The groom is a grandson of former president Ferdinand E. Marcos and son of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos. The bride is a granddaughter of former senator and Foreign Affairs secretary Raul Manglapus who was exiled during the term of the former president.
Local performers, mostly students, sang old Ilocano and Tagalog love songs serenading everyone who went to witness the nuptials. Traditional Ilocano dances were also presented to entertain the more than 5,000 crowd outside the Paoay Church.
The performances were all rendered by volunteers who were tapped by various local government units here,said Provincial Tourism Officer Ianree Raquel.
The people also warmly welcomed prominent wedding guests and visitors, some even coming all the way from Metro Manila and other parts of the country.
Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio did not miss the wedding. She arrived in Ilocos Norte on Saturday with other important figures from the national government, business sector and business industry.
“It’s our obligation to thank the Marcoses for extending their hand of friendship,” said the presidential daughter in a brief interview.
President Rodrigo Duterte was unable to attend but was ably represented by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, a native of Bangui town in Ilocos Norte.
Also seen among the crowd of VIPs were Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta, Public Works Secretary Mark Villa, among others.
Referring to the wedding as the “first of my life”, Gov. Marcos expressed gratitude to everyone who extended their help to make the grand celebration a reality.
Raquel, in an earlier interview, said the ceremony would be a fusion of modern and traditional Ilocano weddings highlighting the old cultural values of Ilocano wedding rites such as the traditional “mano” (kissing of the hand) to the principal sponsors, who in return would gift money to the newlyweds.
Proceeds collected from the wedding celebration will go to the rehabilitation aid for Marawi City. -EZC and PNA
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