Couple weds amidst flooding

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews) -- Come hell or high water, there’s no stopping a couple in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato from tying the knot on Friday.

Mayor Juanito Agustin took a break from rescuing flood victims to wed Ely Ardino and Angelyn Perfas this morning.

The mayor dropped by the municipal hall still drenched in flood water to officiate the civil wedding rites of the couple.

The newly-weds were dressed in formal attires while Agustin wore a yellow shirt, the same one he used to wade the flood waters to lead the rescue operations in the town.

After the wedding, the official resumed the rescue efforts in his municipality.

In a video posted on Facebook, Agustin appealed for rescue equipment, including rubber boats or even banca, to help extract constituents stranded or trapped by floodwaters.

“There are people waiting for rescue from their roofs,” he said.

The flood in Pigcawayan town was brought by rains spawned by Typhoon Paeng.

Pigcawayan is the border town of North Cotabato with Maguindanao del Norte province, which is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Thirty-one people have died in Datu Blah Sinsuat and Datu Odin Sinsuat towns in Maguindanao del Norte and Upi town in Maguindanao del Sur as of Friday afternoon, according to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao - Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence.

The other localities in North Cotabato affected by floods include Kidapawan City and the towns of Midsayap, Makilala, President Roxas, Magpet, Tulunan, Pikit, Kabacan, Carmen, Matalam and M’lang.

Classes were suspended in those flood-hit localities, Oblates-owned DXND Radio Bida Kidapawan reported.