FROM THE USA TO BASISTA

BASISTA—Three weddings in a family, certainly the first-of-its kind here and the happiest ever for a family and the community, happened on April 17 at the town’s Mary Help of Christians Church.

The siblings, Minerva, Gilyn and Gilbert John, all surnamed Tibule with their respective husbands and wife, exchanged their “I dos” to the delight of their relatives and friends, some of whom came from as far as the United States of America (USA) to witness the three-in-one wedding.

The three siblings are based in USA.

Minerva, 36, who works at a facility in Los Angeles, USA as a certified nurse assistant, married Harry Boquiren, who is still in the Philippines.

Her sister Gilyn, 26, who works as a cashier, married Keith Dew Allan, 22, while their younger sibling, Gilbert John, 23, also a certified nurse assistant, was united in matrimony to Charmie Ann Aquino, 23.

Minerva said it was only she and Harry who were supposed to get married but their mother, Nida, suggested to have a triple wedding since her two siblings have also indicated plans to get married soon since they already have children of their own.

“We have that Filipino superstitious belief called sukob that it is supposedly bad to have two weddings in a family in the same year,” Minerva said.

Minerva said it was not difficult to arrive at the decision among her siblings to agree with their mother’s idea since it would also save them time, money and effort because they are already all based in the United States.

So, it was agreed to have the three siblings and their respective families return to their hometown for the wedding.

“It was really a happy occasion,” Minerva said.

She said their three-in-one wedding was the first t in their place and for also the officiating priest, Fr. Redento Mejia. “It was very unique,” he said.

He told the relatives and friends that gathered that some families had double weddings but only their family had a triple.

And how did the ceremony go?

The three brides rode together in a rented limousine to the amusement of the people. Their grooms arrived in their own vehicles.

With three brides to serve, the flower girls and ring bearer kept going to and fro to for each bride that walked down the aisle. But the entourage for the sponsors was long since each couple had a different set of ninongs and ninangs as well as secondary sponsors.

The three couples had identical purple as their wedding motif for their sponsors.

Minerva was accompanied by their mother marching down the aisle while 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil acted as Gilyn’s “father” and ninong. The brides’ biological father already passed away.

The three newly weds had their reception in Avelino Resort attended by more than 200 guests.

Minerva said some of their guests gave three of a kind as gifts while others gave only to the couple known to them.

“If one of us got an oven toaster, the other two also had oven toasters,” she said laughing.

“But I got the most number of gifts because I know more people,” she bragged, again laughing.

In the evening, the couples hosted another party at the Tibule’s family residence in Barangay Dumpay here.

Overall, Minerva said the three couples equally shared in the wedding expenses.

She said the couples had not decided on their honeymoon date and places but one thing was sure, each one would have their honeymoons in separate places and time.

“Kanya-kanya na (To each his own.),” she said laughing.

Minerva said when they were young, they were raised being close and united with each other. There are seven siblings in their family. Only one, the youngest in their family aged 22, is single.

Meanwhile, Bataoil, said, “This is one event when we can say it’s a moment in time for the three siblings when they came back all the way from the US for one purpose.”

He said he is proud to have been part of this momentous event for the Tibule family.

He said the event gave more meaning to his being the chairman of Congress’ Committee on Veterans’ Affairs because the grandfather of the Tibule siblings was a US veteran. (Eva Visperas)

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