Latest news with #BarasoainChurch
BBC News
6 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Why couples in the Philippines keep getting married in flooded churches
It was a scene you'd expect to see at any Aguilar walked down the aisle, clutching her father's arm, dressed in a white gown and cathedral-length veil worthy of the baroque-style church she was for the fact that she, as well as all her guests, were almost knee-deep in water: the church was completely flooded due to heavy rains brought in by both a seasonal monsoon and a typhoon. But the couple didn't let that stop them - saying it was "challenging, but we focused on what's important".The scenes from the Barasoain Church north of the Philippine capital Manila soon went viral on social media and made the rounds as another example of Filipino resilience in the face of amazingly, this wasn't the first time something like this had occurred. Two years ago, another Filipino couple walked down the flooded aisle of the same church, at the same time of the year. And in 2018, a couple tied the knot at a flooded church in Bulacan province, just north of Manila. The submerged weddings aren't just a tale of determination - they are the latest example of a festering flood problem that continues to bring misery to millions, a problem exacerbated by decaying sewage systems, poor urban planning, and extreme weather events that are growing more intense and frequent. Altars and antibiotics For the 27-year-old bride, the hardest part of the wedding was the night before, when she was deciding whether or not to go ahead with the ceremony. The wedding planners had warned them that the rains would get worse."It was the most critical time for us — should we cancel and reschedule it? It was 50/50 for me — I was considering cancelling," she told the in the end they decided to press on."It was challenging but we focused on what's really important – our relationship and the people who love us," 27-year-old groom Jade Rick Verdillo said, adding that they were both "overjoyed" after the of the first things they did as husband and wife was to take doxycycline pills from their local health an antibiotic to prevent flood-borne diseases such as leptospirosis, which attacks the liver. And just hours after the wedding, the still flooded Barasoain church hosted a funeral, where a white casket was placed on stilts at the foot of the altar. Typhoon Wipha, known locally as Crising, is the third storm the Philippines has seen this year. The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to tropical cyclones, due to its location on the Pacific Ocean where such weather systems form. About 20 tropical cyclones form in that region every year, half of which impact the country people have been reportedly killed since the rains started last weekend, while tens of thousands have been there appears to be no respite from the stormy weather as two more cyclones are predicted to develop or enter the Philippines later this month. Historically, the strongest and deadliest storms hit towards the end of the year, just before deluge comes days ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's annual State of the Nation Address to Congress next Monday, which will be closely watched for his plans to address the perennial the height of torrential rains earlier this week, Marcos suspended preparations for his speech after photos of government personnel putting up his portraits on Manila lamp posts went viral and stoked anger said government resources should be focused on disaster response, rather than preparations for a political who is in Washington to negotiate a trade deal with US President Donald Trump, said he had ensured the preparedness of disaster response agencies before he left the country. Why do floods keep happening? Much of the flooding has been concentrated in Metro Manila, which is home to more than 13 million is one of the world's most densely populated mega cities and its rubbish disposal is a major challenge. Uncollected and improperly disposed waste pollutes waterways and clogs drain floods are caused by Metro Manila's "very old" and "inadequate" sewage system, according to Manuel Bonoan, Marcos' public works minister. It dates back to the early system is also 70% silted or clogged after over a century of use, Mr Bonoan told news outlet ABS-CBN Mahar Lagmay, a geologist at the University of the Philippines and an expert in disaster response, said on social media that the floods were in part caused by roads built over natural the flood problem would need to take into account several factors, including the tides on Manila Bay, potential storm surges, and the possible failure of nearby dams, Dr Lagmay said in an earlier opinion piece. But Mr Bonoan says a master plan to tackle the floods is being put together with help from the World Bank, adding that Manila has allocated billions of pesos to the problem. One immediate solution involves repairing 32 water pumping stations in the capital to reduce the strain on the drainage system, he said."We have to sit down once and for all, at the soonest possible time, to find a solution," he newly wed Mr Verdillo thinks it is a problem that can one day be solved, so couples no longer have to wade through waters to get to the altar. "We have seas and rivers here in the Philippines, so we have so much water. The government should invest in flood gates, pumping stations and wider canals," he said."Improvements cannot be done in a day, but could be done in years... I'm positive about it, as long as we all focus on the mitigation."
The Independent
7 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Philippines couple refuse to let flooded church dampen wedding day
A couple in the Phillipines were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day — even if it meant wading through a flooded one. Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar tied the knot at the Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, which was inundated with water due to heavy rain on Tuesday (22 July). Typhoon Whipa had intensified seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, bringing widespread flooding. On deciding to push through despite the flooding, Verdillo said: "Before we got married, we were in this relationship for 10 years. We have been through a lot. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome.'
The Independent
7 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Couple wades through knee-deep water to marry in flooded church as Typhoon Wipha lashes Philippines: ‘It's a test'
A Filipino couple didn't let a typhoon deter them from celebrating their wedding day. Despite knee-high water flooding their church, Filipino couple Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar decided to go ahead with their scheduled wedding. The couple exchanged their vows on Tuesday in front of friends and family inside the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos in Bulacan province, according to reports. The church had flooded after relentless rains, intensified by Typhoon Wipha, swept across the region as part of a deluge that submerged large swathes of the Philippines. The couple had anticipated the risk but refused to let it derail their plans. 'We just mustered enough courage,' Mr Verdillo told the Associated Press. 'We decided today because it is a sacrifice in itself. But there will [be] more sacrifices if we don't push through today.' Ms Aguilar glided down the aisle in a flowing white gown, her train trailing across the water, as Mr Verdillo stood waiting at the altar, solemn and proud in his traditional Barong Tagalog – a traditional Filipino formal garment worn by men. They have been together for ten years. The pictures from the wedding showed guests with rolled-up trousers wading through knee-deep water. Inside the flooded Barasoain Church, pews stood partially submerged as friends and family sat with water lapping at their ankles. The groom said: 'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome.' The photos also captured the bride's train floating on the water, a child offering flowers barefoot, and guests smiling through the flood. Despite the storm, family and friends waded through floodwaters inside the church to attend the ceremony. 'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' said Jiggo Santos, a wedding guest. 'It's an extraordinary wedding.' On 30 July 2023, another Filipino couple, Dianne Victoriano and Paulo Padilla, were also married in the flood-hit Barasoain Church, wading through ankle-deep water to exchange vows. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, more than 80,000 people remain in emergency shelters following weekend floods and landslides that killed at least three people.
The Standard
7 days ago
- Climate
- The Standard
Photos show a Filipino couple walking down a flooded aisle on their wedding day
Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo right, and Jamaica kiss during their wedding at the flooded Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
CNN
7 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
Wet wedding ‘just a test': Filipino couple ties knot in flooded church during typhoon
Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day. Even if it meant walking down a flooded one. On Tuesday, the Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines, flooded due to heavy rain. Typhoon Whipa had intensified seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, bringing widespread flooding. The couple anticipated the risk of flooding, but instead of letting the weather dampen the mood, they decided to push through, as all marriages have their challenges. 'We just mustered enough courage,' said Verdillo. 'We decided today because it is a sacrifice in itself. But there will more sacrifices if we don't push through today.' Aguilar waded down the aisle with her white dress and wedding train floating behind her through waters almost up to her knees. At the altar, Verdillo was waiting to receive her while wearing an embroidered shirt called a Barong Tagalog, worn during special occasions. The newlyweds have been together for 10 years. The groom said, 'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome.' Despite the turbulent weather, some family and friends made it to the wedding. 'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' said Jiggo Santos, a wedding guest. 'It's an extraordinary wedding.'
