13 say ‘I do’ as part of JCI, BJMP project
Thirteen couples were married in the Cebu City Jail on Friday as part of a project of Junior Chamber International (JCI) WoMandaue and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) 7.
It was the second time the civic club and BJMP conducted the project since May last year.
Supt. Neil Avisado, BJMP assistant regional director for operations, said he expected the ceremony to change the newlywed inmates’ perspective in life and inspire them to become more attentive to family matters and mould themselves into good husbands and individuals.
Aside from Avisado, also present during the ceremony were Chief Insp. Asyncrito Incio, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Jail; Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak; and other BJMP, JCI, and Cebu Lady Lawyers’ Association (CELLA) officers. Court of Appeals Associate Justice Marilyn Lagura-Yap presided.
Jail Officer 2 Alex Salutan encouraged other stations to organize similar projects so that even those who are in prison can experience this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. He confirmed that services were free and that the inmates’ relatives helped them work on the required documents. Due to limited space and the need for security, Salutan said, the number of guests was limited.
No license shall be necessary for the marriage of a man and a woman who have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years and without any legal impediment to marry each other.
The gift of a name
“This is the second time but this is very special because this is the area launching of JCI Visayas,” said Blanche Aliño, area chair of the JCI Visayas Beyond Prison Walls project. Aliño, a jail officer, said that when she joined JCI she already wanted to improve inmates’ lives.
“In this way, we can help by giving a name to their spouses and children. It helps them (the inmates) feel better that they still have room for transformation and that they are loved by many,” Aliño added.
She explained that part of what made the project possible was Article 34 of the Family Code. That article waives the requirement of a marriage license for men and women who have lived together as husband and wife for at least five years and who have no legal impediment to marry.
Who else helped? Lawyer Margarita Yu of CELLA 2018 delivered the opening remarks. Lyzel Uykimpang-Tillo, JCI Visayas VP, led the toast, and Dianne Tan-Perez, VP for community, led the prayer during the reception. Volunteers Catherine Pepito and AJ Laranas sang and hosted, respectively.
The project organizers’ goal is to conduct this event annually in partnership with volunteers who are also wedding suppliers, designers, make-up artists, caterers, and photographers.
ARTICLE 34 OF THE FAMILY CODE