Newlyweds say ‘I do' in knee-deep water as monsoonal rain sparks flooding in the Philippines
True love has overcome Mother Nature in the Philippines, where even severe flooding could not dampen the spirits of one couple on their wedding day.
Groom Jade Rick Verdillo and bride Jamaica Aguilar said 'I do' in knee-deep water at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, an hour north of the country's capital of Manila.
Typhoon Wipha has supercharged seasonal monsoonal rains in the region, driving widespread flooding that has forced thousands of people to flee.
Far from getting cold feet, Verdillo said the newlyweds were happy to defy the weather on Tuesday because marriages are about overcoming challenges.
'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome,' he told AP.
Aguilar wore a white dress and Verdillo donned a formal embroidered long-sleeved shirt called a barong tagalog.
The couple, who have been together for 10 years, exchanged their vows in front of a bridal party and dozens of family and friends, who left their shoes on a church pew.
'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' guest Jiggo Santos said.
'It's an extraordinary wedding.'
The Barasoain Church also shared photos of the wedding, saying that the 'unity of people will continue'.
'Despite the flooding inside, outside and around our parish caused by the rain, the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage of Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar held in our parish still continues,' the church said.
'Regardless of the flood of the brides and their guests, the unity of the couple will continue in front of the Temple of God.
'In this time of typhoon and disaster, we are encouraged to continue to pray for safety of all.'
Other posts by the church showed funeral services had also continued despite the wild weather.
Malolos was among a number of regions, including Manila, where classes and government work was suspended due to the torrential rain.
Rescue services have been sent to evacuate communities inundated by water and help others in trouble.
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ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
As typhoons become more frequent and intense, Filipinos are getting married in flooded churches
Major flooding inundated parts of the Philippines this week as tropical storm Wipha made landfall, killing at least six people and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate. But one couple in Bulacan province was undeterred by the extreme weather, which fell on their wedding day — and chose to wade down the aisle in a flooded church. Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar saw the decision to persevere in the unusual conditions as a symbol of their commitment to one another. "It's just a test. 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." Images of the wedding went viral on social media, a symbol of Filipino resilience in the face of extreme weather. And wedding guests, knee deep in water, praised the couple. "It's an extraordinary wedding, like you will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued for the blessing of our Lord, they become one," Jiggo Santos, a friend of the couple said. It's reportedly not the first time a Filipino couple has tied the knot in a submerged chapel. Two years ago, another pair walked down the flooded aisle of the same church, at the same time of year. Flooding is a perennial issue for the South-East Asian nation located in the Pacific typhoon belt, with at least 20 storms or typhoons striking each year. According to the UN, the country is the most prone to natural hazards in the world, and these hazards are becoming more intense due to climate change. Mahar Lagmay, a geologist at the University of the Philippines and an expert in disaster response, said infrastructure in the country was ill-equipped to deal with weather extremes made more likely by climate change. "Rainfall events that generate big floods are now becoming more frequent, they're not as rare anymore, they used to happen every one in 100 years," he said. "There should be a shift in mindset and try to entertain moving into a safer place that's safe and more liveable because these places are not liveable unless they convert it to a Venice type community." Dr Lagmay said construction of properties and roads over natural waterways and flood plains in the capital Manila rendered the city particularly vulnerable to inundation. But he said the country's disaster risk reduction efforts had made significant strides in recent decades, pointing out that the average number of fatalities from hydrometeorological hazards went down significantly from 1,000-1,250 average deaths a year for the period 1986-2013 to about 250 a year from 2014 to the present.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
One dead as tropical storm Wipha weakens across Vietnam
One person is dead and another is missing following heavy storms across northern Vietnam as Wipha weakened from a tropical storm into a depression. A 59-year-old man was killed in Nghe An province when a tree fell on his house before the storm made landfall, police said. Nghe An, which stretches from the coast to the mountainous Laos border, was among the areas hit hardest by heavy rain and floods. Another woman was swept away by floodwaters and remains missing. Four other people were injured. Flooding damaged hundreds of homes, destroyed crops and cut off remote communities, officials said. Nearly 400 households were evacuated from the province's landslide-prone areas, and several upland communities remain isolated without electricity or communication, officials said. Heavy rains triggered landslides that damaged roads, collapsed part of a school building and destroyed crops and forest. Wipha made landfall Tuesday morning with sustained winds of up to 102km/h before weakening as it moved inland. It caused power outages, disrupted farming operations and forced temporary airport closures in northern provinces. In neighbouring Thailand, heavy rain from Tuesday night into Wednesday triggered flooding in several northern provinces, swelling rivers and inundating homes. Authorities said more than 350 people were affected, though no casualties have been reported. They warned of possible flash floods and landslides.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- 7NEWS
Newlyweds say ‘I do' in knee-deep water as monsoonal rain sparks flooding in the Philippines
Here comes the tide! True love has overcome Mother Nature in the Philippines, where even severe flooding could not dampen the spirits of one couple on their wedding day. Groom Jade Rick Verdillo and bride Jamaica Aguilar said 'I do' in knee-deep water at the Barasoain Church in Malolos, an hour north of the country's capital of Manila. Typhoon Wipha has supercharged seasonal monsoonal rains in the region, driving widespread flooding that has forced thousands of people to flee. Far from getting cold feet, Verdillo said the newlyweds were happy to defy the weather on Tuesday because marriages are about overcoming challenges. 'I feel that challenges won't be over. It's just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we've overcome,' he told AP. Aguilar wore a white dress and Verdillo donned a formal embroidered long-sleeved shirt called a barong tagalog. The couple, who have been together for 10 years, exchanged their vows in front of a bridal party and dozens of family and friends, who left their shoes on a church pew. 'You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,' guest Jiggo Santos said. 'It's an extraordinary wedding.' The Barasoain Church also shared photos of the wedding, saying that the 'unity of people will continue'. 'Despite the flooding inside, outside and around our parish caused by the rain, the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage of Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar held in our parish still continues,' the church said. 'Regardless of the flood of the brides and their guests, the unity of the couple will continue in front of the Temple of God. 'In this time of typhoon and disaster, we are encouraged to continue to pray for safety of all.' Other posts by the church showed funeral services had also continued despite the wild weather. Malolos was among a number of regions, including Manila, where classes and government work was suspended due to the torrential rain. Rescue services have been sent to evacuate communities inundated by water and help others in trouble.
