Kuwait Times

For wetter or worse: Bride defies storm

‘Even if it floods or it rains, nothing can stop me’

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MANILA: A beaming bride defiantly marching up a flooded church aisle in the Philippine­s has won hearts as the country suffers a fresh bout of monsoonal rains. Jobel Delos Angeles, 24, married the father of her two children on Saturday as Tropical Storm Yagi and the southwest monsoon brought heavy flooding to the capital Manila and nearby areas, including their home province of Bulacan.

In a Facebook video shared over a thousand times, Delos Angeles is all smiles as she walks through brown floodwater­s in a white gown and veil before her suited groom clad in flip-flops takes her to the altar. “Even if it floods or it rains, nothing can stop me. You only get married once, will you postpone it? I was marrying the man I love,” Delos Angeles told AFP by phone. “My gown got wet and heavy but I told myself it was as if I was walking on a red carpet.”

The Philippine­s endures an average of 20 typhoons and storms each year. The latest storm brought misery to many, with 20,000 residents fleeing the riverside district of Marikina in the national capital region where floods swept away cars, authoritie­s said. But for Delos Angeles, the weekend was cause for celebratio­n. She said she and her partner of seven years did not expect bad weather but never considered calling off their wedding even after floodwater­s entered the church in Hagonoy town. It was a double ceremony, with their five-month-old daughter baptized in the same event, she added.

Guests were photograph­ed barefoot, including children who were afraid to slip. “We didn’t want a new schedule as we were already stressed out. Our hometown is really floodprone,” Delos Angeles added. “No car wanted to bring us to the church so I just rode a boat. We didn’t expect so many people would still turn up, even the entourage.” The bride’s aunt, Teresa Bautista, posted the video of her niece which has drawn comments from social media users hailing the event as the “wedding of year”. “I felt bad for them but at the same time I am happy they got it through,” Bautista told AFP. Delos Angeles said she had no regrets. “It is truly memorable. I am so happy. It shows the lesson that there are no what ifs.” — AFP

Latest storm brings misery as many flee

 ??  ?? MANILA: Residents clean their mud-filled homes after flooding brought about by heavy downpour due to exiting Tropical storm Yagi, submerged their homes in Marikina City, suburban Manila yesterday. — AFP
MANILA: Residents clean their mud-filled homes after flooding brought about by heavy downpour due to exiting Tropical storm Yagi, submerged their homes in Marikina City, suburban Manila yesterday. — AFP
 ??  ?? HAGONOY, Philippine­s: Photo shows the bride Jobel Delos Angeles, 24, and her groom during their wedding amidst a flooded church in Hagonoy town, Bulacan town, north of Manila. — AFP
HAGONOY, Philippine­s: Photo shows the bride Jobel Delos Angeles, 24, and her groom during their wedding amidst a flooded church in Hagonoy town, Bulacan town, north of Manila. — AFP
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