MASS WEDDING
It's better late than never for 13 aeta couples in Guimbal

By Erly C. Garcia

A mass wedding of thirteen aeta couples was held in Brgy. Igcocolo, Guimbal last Wednesday, October 5.

Guimbal Mayor Richard Garin officiates the civil wedding to 13 aeta couples residing in an eata resettlement in Brgy. Igcocolo, Guimbal. To his right is is Benjamin Drapiza, president of the Blandina Infante Drapiza Foundation USA which helps the aeta community in Guimbal.

Municipal mayor Richard Garin officiated the civil wedding inside the New Hope Mission Academy, a private learning institution established by the Blandina Infante Drapiza Foundation USA.

All the Sangguniang Bayan members of Guimbal acted as witnesses and sponsors in the wedding.

The thirteen couples are: Jose Palacios and Dolores Casten,  Ronnie Salvio and Jennefer Palacios, Reynante Villanueva and Lucy Palacios, Sonny Salvio and Rady Pauden, Ramon Delos Santos and Natalia Palacios, Rey Palacios and Ronna Pauden, Ronnel Pauden, Melesa Palacios, John Mark Sanger and Rosalie Palacios, Leo Casten and Mary Jane Palacios, Eladio Casten and Rowena Chavez, Diony Villanueva and Nikki Sanger, Joel Casten and Agnes  Villanueva, and Julie Baylon and Salvacion Delos Santos.

Garin said the couples have been living together for quite some time already but they were formally wed so that their children could be registered in the municipality. Most couples have more than five children.

The aeta couples are part of the 23 aeta families adopted by the  Blandina Infante Drapiza Foundation USA and given a 5-hectare resettlement area in Brgy. Igcocolo.

Blandina Infante Drapiza Foundation USA was established by the ten Drapiza children from Guimbal who are now living in the United States.

Benjamin Drapiza, the youngest of the ten siblings and the Foundation's President and founder said helping the aeta community is their way of sharing the blessings they have received.

He said they help build houses for the aetas in the resettlement area, provide them with livelihood, and offer scholarship for their children.

The foundation in 2002 put up the New Hope Mission Academy which offers pre-school and elementary education.

Aside from the 21 aeta scholars the school also admits other children from the nearby barangays.

Drapiza said they are also dreaming of putting up high school classes in the future and a college specializing in agriculture to further help the community that mostly thrives in farming.

Garin, on the other hand, said his wife Rep. Janette Garin has already committed to allot P500 thousand for the construction of about 1.5 kilometer road network that would link the aeta resettlement area to Brgy. Victoria in Guimbal.

With that, Garin said, the aeta children would no longer have a hard time passing by a river in going to the New Hope Mission Academy.

It was learned that the aeta community are not really natives of Guimbal but have come from other places like Calinog, Lambunao and Anilao.

Garin expressed gratefulness to the Drapiza family for giving special attention to the aeta community which has already become neglected members of the our society.