Former Senatorial Candidate weds in Civil Ceremony

Former senatorial candidate and National Broadband Deal – ZTE (NBN-ZTE) deal whistleblower Jose De Venecia III will exchange vows with long-time fiance Karen Batumbacal in a civil ceremony today, June 29, 2010 at the Makati City Hall.

The ceremony will be officiated by Makati City mayor and Vice President-elect Jejomar 'Jojo' Binay. In an interview, former Speaker Jose De Venecia II, former President Joseph 'Erap' Estrada, and two relatives from the bride's side will serve as witness to the ceremony. Afterwards, a simple dinner will be held and attended by close friends from the business and political circle.

Initially, the two were supposed to tie the knot in a church ceremony last December 20, 2007 but decided to cancel the event twice due to security issues that hounded the businessman and NBN-ZTE deal anomaly whistleblower.

The two, who were both from the information and communications technology industry, were introduced to each other in 2005 by businessmen Ramon Arnaiz and Ben Tesoro. Batumbacal is a chief executive officer of a business process outsourcing (BPO) company while the young De Venecia is the founder of Amsterdam Holdings Inc.

This is the second marriage of the couple. The two have been annulled from their previous marriages almost fifteen years ago.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Valencia, Czeriza, The Philippine Star. Joey de Venecia getting married (Posted June 23, 2010) Retrieved June 29, 2010 from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=586852&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Calleja, Niña, Philippine Daily Inquirer. No Senate seat, but Joey de Venecia lands a bride (Posted May 22, 2010) Retrieved June 29, 2010 from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100522-271434/No-Senate-seat-but-Joey-de-Venecia-lands-a-bride

Labog-Javellana, Juliet, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Jose de Venecia III, fiancee back off from Dec. 20 date (Posted December 16, 2007) Retrieved June 29, 2010 from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20071216-107113/Jose_de_Venecia_III%2C__fiancee_back_off_from_Dec._20_date

Comedienne Tuesday Vargas and Guitarist Coy Placido Tied the Knot Again

Popular comedienne Tuesday Vargas (real name Marizel Sarangelo) and her boyfriend, Session Road guitarist Jericho 'Coy' Placido exchanged vows again, this time in a Christian wedding ceremony last June 19, 2010 at Discovery Suites in the island of Boracay.

The wedding was attended by their family and friends from the entertainment and music industry, which include, Katya Santos, Regine Velasaquez, Ogie Alcasid, former teen star Ricky Rivero, and fellow comedians John 'Sweet Lapuz, Eugene Domingo, and Ricci Chan. Based on earlier interviews, Senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, Jr. and Saranggani Congressman and boxing icon Manny Pacquaio will be one of the principal sponsors. Senator Revilla, Jr.'s wife, actress Lani Mercado attended their wedding and stood as one of the female principal sponsors.

Sea of Love. Mr. and Mrs. Jericho and Marizel Placido. Photo taken from Tuesday Vargas Facebook Fan account.

The comedienne revealed in a previous interview that she will wear a fully-beaded wedding gown made by renowned bridal couturier Frederick Peralta. The motif of their wedding was black and white.

In her Facebook Fan Page, the new Mrs. Placido posted a shoutout last June 20 saying, “goodbye single blessedness and hello to a wonderful married life. cheers to love and happiness! [sic]” .

Prior to getting married, the two have been together for six years. They first tied the knot in a Buddhist ceremony in 2005 in Bali, Indonesia.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Llanes, Rommel, Philippine Entertainment Portal. Buddhists Tuesday Vargas and Coy Placido tie the knot again in a Christian wedding. (Posted June 22, 2010) Retrieved June 22, 2010 from
http://www.pep.ph/news/25965/Buddhists-Tuesday-Vargas-and-Coy-Placido-tie-the-knot-again-in-a-Christian-wedding

Tuesday Vargas Facebook Artist Page. Retrieved June 21, 2010 from
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tuesday-Vargas/193515256758

Godinez, Bong, Philippine Entertainment Portal. Tuesday Vargas reveals details about her upcoming beach wedding. (Posted May 25, 2010) Retrieved June 21, 2010 from
http://www.pep.ph/articles/22015/Tuesday-Vargas-reveals-details-about-her-upcoming-beach-wedding
Reposted by GMANews.tv at
http://www8.gmanews.tv/story/189784/pep-tuesday-vargas-talks-about-her-upcoming-beach-wedding

Buan-Deveza, Reyma, abs-cbnNEWS.com. Tuesday Vargas to marry Session Road guitarist. (Posted April 30, 2010) Retrieved June 21, 2010 from
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/04/30/10/tuesday-vargas-marry-session-road-guitarist

Cebu Hailed as Best Honeymoon Destination at China Fair

The beautiful beaches, romantic resorts, and breathtaking view of Cebu City received a well-deserved commendation as the Queen City of the South was recently hailed as the Best Honeymoon Destination during the World Trade Fair 2010 held at Shanghai, China.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) revealed the news last Wednesday, June 9 after Cebu was declared winner after a public vote and a strict evaluation process undertaken by professional jurors from the Shanghai Tourism Municipal Administration, VNU Exhibitions Asia, and Shanghai International Conference Management Organization.

In his interview with the press, DoT Secretary Joseph 'Ace' Durano said that they are not surprised that more and more travelers, especially couples, are finding its pristine white beaches, romantic resorts and breathtaking views, coupled with the innate warmth and friendliness of our locals, a perfect treat for their honeymoon trip.

Sec. Durano added that the said recognition of Cebu is a “noteworthy indication of the country’s growing tourism charm among many travelers across the world.” He also stressed that the country’s competitive tour pricing and the continuous development of the transportation sector are influential drivers of tourism growth in the island-province.

DoT Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque, Jr., who received the award during the said travel fair, said that the citation is “an affirmation of the country’s world-class tourist spots and its unfailing efforts to reach out to new markets”.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:

Malaya. Cebu wins Best Honeymoon Destination award (Posted June 17, 2010) Retrieved June 17, 2010 from
http://www.malaya.com.ph/06172010/trav3.html

Rodolfo, Wilfredo III, Business Mirror. Cebu named best honeymoon site (Posted June 14, 2010) Retrieved June 17, 2010 from
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26451:cebu-named-best-honeymoon-site&catid=23:topnews&Itemid=58
Reposted by abs-cbnNews at http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/06/15/10/cebu-named-best-honeymoon-site

Dagooc, Edha, The Freeman. Cebu named "Best Honeymoon Destination" (Posted June 14, 2010) Retrieved June 17, 2010 from
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=584060

Mozo, Malou, Manila Bulletin. China cites Cebu as ‘Best Honeymoon Destination’ (Posted June 12, 2010) Retrieved June 17, 2010 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/261707/china-cites-cebu-best-honeymoon-destination

Lontayao, Rommel, The Manila Times. Cebu is best honeymoon site (Posted June 12, 2010) Retrieved June 17, 2010 from
http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/lifestyle/19255-cebu-is-best-honeymoon-site

Indonesian Brides-To-Be Alarmed Over Proposed Government Policy

Wedding bells for Indonesian brides-to-be are suddenly put on hold due to a government bill that requires foreign groom to pay a $55,000 "security guarantee" to their Indonesian spouse.

According to reports, enraged brides-to-be are threatening to flee the country and marry their beaus abroad if the government approves the plan, which is said to be a part of a wider marriage law reform being pushed by Muslim conservatives. On the other hand, foreign grooms are questioning the Indonesian government’s move when stories of foreign men being exploited by gold-digging women are rampant in the Southeast Asian country.

The proposal requires foreign men wishing to wed Muslim women to put a guarantee of 500 million rupiah ($55,000 or ) into an Indo-Islamic bank. The said bill, however, does not apply to Christians, Buddhists or Hindus. If the couple divorce, the wife will be entitled to the amount. If they stick together for at least 10 years, they can claim it as "shared property." "The provision... is intended to protect the rights of women and their children if their husbands neglect, fail to provide for, leave Indonesia secretly... divorce or do anything which harms their interests," the bill adds. Violation of the said provision is considered a criminal offense.

In an interview with Nasaruddin Umar, an Indonesian Religious affairs ministry official, the guarantee is designed to stop foreigners entering fake marriages in order to set up businesses or buy property in their wives' names, and to ensure that women are financially secured against divorce. Also, the bill was made to protect the sanctity of marriage which should not be ‘be tainted by lust or personal interests’, he adds.

Most Indonesian women thinks the bill is ‘ridiculous’, and that ‘the government has no respect for Indonesian women’. A respondent, who wish not to be named, said that local men should charge local men as well. Critics say it will only encourage people to "live in sin" outside of wedlock, leaving women more vulnerable.

Ms Nia Schumacher of Melati Worldwide, a group which lobbies for the interests of people in mixed marriages, said the proposal would lead to an exodus of "runaway brides." Ms. Emmylia Hannig, co-chairwoman of the Association of Indonesian Women in Multinational Marriages (Srikandi) also rejects the proposal. If the law is indeed intended to protect women, it should apply to both foreign and local men, she added. Local statesman Iskan Qolba Lubis said that the bill will make it difficult for couples to get married and that the act is ‘discriminatory’.

On the other hand, Indonesian Council of Ulema chairman Amidhan lauds the proposal and agreed with Umar saying that they have heard many cases of foreigners marrying Indonesian women and leaving them with nothing.

Reports claim that the proposal, spearheaded by the religious affairs ministry, will be sent to parliament for approval by the end of the year.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Arshad, Arlina, Agence France-Presse. Can't buy love? Indonesia thinks foreign men should. (Posted by Inquirer.net on June 1, 2010) Retrieved June 2, 2010 from
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100601-273248/Cant-buy-love-Indonesia-thinks-foreign-men-should

Henderson, Barney, Telegraph Media. British men to pay £38,000 'deposit' for Indonesian wives (Posted June 2, 2010). Retrieved June 2, 2010 from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/7793690/British-men-to-pay-38000-deposit-for-Indonesian-wives.html

Eli Judge and Partner Silaban Personal Library Law and Regulation Series Collection. About Material Law Religious Courts - Field Of Marriage). Retrieved June 2, 2010 from
http://cid-90d8572e18fea99c.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public%20Share/Draft%20RUU%20HMPA%20Bid%20Perkawinan.pdf

CBCP Airs Concerns Regarding Wedding Expenses, Marriage Stats

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) aired numerous concerns about the process of planning a wedding and other issues concerning married life this June, known to most as the wedding month.

In separate interviews, CBCP Marriage Tribunal chairman emeritus and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz expressed his concern regarding certain issues faced by soon-to-wed couples and married couples. The archbishop admitted that church weddings have become too expensive for Filipinos. To aid couples in their wedding expenses, he urged church official to encourage soon-to-wed couple to opt for simpler wedding ceremonies or offer the ceremony for free.

Even the long process of acquiring a marriage license and other documents has discouraged couples to tie the knot. Archbishop Cruz said that it has become too difficult to secure a marriage license that some couples have resorted to bribery in order to get one. Church weddings have even more document requirements such as baptismal certificate, confirmation certificate, among others.

Couples should not use money as a reason for not getting married since the church does offer mass wedding rites which has lesser expenses. He stressed that the Catholic Church has a rule that they cannot deny a person from receiving the sacrament of Holy Matrimony because of financial concerns. However, only a few couples have availed of this since most still prefer to have their own wedding.

Based on the latest data from the National Statistics Office, there were 490,054 marriages that were registered in 2007. The number represented a decrease of 2,612 marriages or 0.5 percent from the 2006 figure of 492,666.

Six regions, namely: National Capital Region (NCR), Region X, Region XII, Region VII, Region III and Region IV-A reported declines in the number of marriages. The biggest downward slope was recorded in NCR at 9.4 percent.

Another issue faced by couples is the increasing rate of number of failed marriages. Archbishop Cruz attributes this to the excessive exposure to comics, telenovelas, and movies have eroded the values of couples and the sacredness of matrimony. He explains that these do not promote the sanctity of marriage because they depict stories of couples who love each other but their relationship end in separation, divorce or annulment.

In his interview over Radyo Veritas, the CBCP marriage tribunal office has received 130 annulment cases every year but only 10 cases pass the first phase of their evaluation and the number would be further trimmed down as the cases progress.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kasal.com thanks the following sources for this article:
Aquino, Leslie Ann, Manila Bulletin. Bishop blames telenovelas for dwindling marriages (Posted June 3, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/260439/bishop-blames-telenovelas-dwindling-marriages

Macairan, Evelyn, The Philippine Star. Church weddings becoming too costly. (Posted June 4, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=581149

Radyo Veritas. Simbahang Katolika, naalarma sa tumaas na bilang ng mga mag-asawang naghihiwalay (Posted June 4, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010
http://www.veritas846.ph/church_news.html

National Statistics Office Special Release No. 511 - Marriages: Philippines, 2007. (Posted May 21, 2010) Retrieved June 7, 2010 from
http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/sr10511tx.html