South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center celebrates love behind bars, hosts mass wedding on Valentine's Day

South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center celebrates love behind bars, hosts mass wedding on Valentine's Day | Photo from PIO

In a celebration of love amidst confinement, the South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center hosted a mass wedding for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) on February 14, 2024 Valentine's Day.

Organized by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines South Cotabato- Gensan Chapter, six (6) couples took center stage to exchange vows and pledge their eternal commitment to each other.

Atty. Josemar Albano, President of IBP South Cotabato-Gensan Chapter, emphasized the significance of allowing individuals in detention facilities to nurture familial bonds and reinforce their rights to love and companionship.

Koronadal City Acting Mayor Hon. Vice-Mayor Erlinda Araquil presided over the civil union ceremony, guiding the couples as they embarked on this journey of love and solidarity. Vice-Mayor Araquil shared her sentiments, expressing admiration for the unwavering affection demonstrated by the couples despite their circumstances.

"The palpable love radiating from these couples as they walk down the aisle serves as a testament to the resilience of their love. No bars can confine their affection," Vice-Mayor Araquil remarked, reflecting on the emotional significance of the occasion.

The mass wedding, a flagship program of the IBP Socgen Chapter, was made possible through collaborative efforts with the Provincial Government of South Cotabato, City Government of Koronadal and South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center.