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ABC News
5 days ago
- Climate
- 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.
Filipino Times
6 days ago
- Climate
- Filipino Times
Love conquers all: Wedding goes on despite flooding at Barasoain Church
Love truly conquers all — even the flood at Barasoain Church. Despite heavy flooding inside and around the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish—better known as Barasoain Church—in Malolos, Bulacan, a wedding ceremony still pushed through on Tuesday, July 22. Continuous rains brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat), intensified by Severe Tropical Storm Crising, caused floodwaters in the area to rise up to knee level. But for Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar, none of this was a reason to postpone their special day. The couple and their guests braved the floodwaters, walking through ankle- to knee-deep water just to reach the altar. Inside the historic church, they exchanged vows and promises of lifelong commitment—proving that even a flood cannot stop true love. 'Na-s-stress na ako dahil hindi ito 'yung pinlano namin,' the bride said on their wedding video. 'Pero lagi niyang sinasabi sa'kin, 'ang mahalaga magkasama tayo.'' Photos of the wedding quickly made rounds online, inspiring many netizens who admired the couple's strength and faith amid the storm. 'It's heartwarming to see them smiling despite the storm. Truly, nothing can stop their love. Whatever challenges come their way, they will overcome them as long as they have faith,' one comment read in Tagalog. 'From the very start, you braved the flood and nothing stopped your union. May God bless your marriage and help you overcome every trial, just like how you faced the flood and heavy rain with courage,' another netizen said. 'Hindi alintana ng mga ikakasal at maski ng kanilang mga panauhin ang baha, maituloy lamang ang pag-iisang dibdib ng mag-asawa sa harapan ng Dambana ng Diyos,' a post from the Parish read. Two years ago, a couple also tied the knot in the same church under similar circumstances. Paulo Jayvee Padilla and Dianne Padilla made headlines in 2023 after pushing through with their wedding despite the flooded aisle. Their photos went viral, with netizens dubbing them the 'Crazy Rich Asians' version of Barasoain, a reference to the lavish wedding scene in the 2018 American romantic comedy film.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
From wedding to wading: This Filipino couple got married in a submerged church; here's why
Just like a traditional wedding, this Filipino wedding had everything, a white dress, proud parents, church and guests ready to witness it all. But what set this wedding apart was that the couple exchanged vows while standing in nearly knee-deep floodwaters. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the north of capital city Manila, Jamaica Aguilar walked down the aisle of the 19th-century Barasoain Church in Bulacan, on Sunday, arm-in-arm with her father and draped in a cathedral-length veil. But instead of a red carpet, she waded through murky water brought in by heavy monsoon rains and Typhoon Wipha, known locally as Crising. Despite the submerged altar, she and her groom, Jade Rick Verdillo, carried on. "It was challenging," said the 27-year-old groom, "but we focused on what's really important – our relationship and the people who love us." Their decision to proceed struck a chord online, with video clips of the flooded ceremony quickly going viral, praised by many as yet another example of Filipino resilience. Though strange, this was not the first wedding of its kind, as two years ago, another couple walked down the same aisle, at the same time of the year. But why are these couples are choosing to get married midst floodwaters instead of a red carpet and floor to welcome them? Behind weddings like this one, lies a deeper issue, chronic flooding made worse by decades of poor urban planning, crumbling drainage systems, and increasingly severe weather patterns. Barasoain Church itself is no stranger to such scenes, similar waterlogged weddings were held in 2022 and 2018. For Aguilar, the toughest moment was the night before the wedding. "It was 50/50 for me — I was considering cancelling," she told BBC. In the end, the couple pushed ahead, and celebrated their union with a dose of doxycycline, an antibiotic given by the local clinic to prevent waterborne infections such as leptospirosis. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Later that day, the still-flooded church hosted a funeral. The white coffin, perched on wooden stilts, stood as a quiet reminder of the storm's wider toll. Typhoon Wipha is the third storm to hit the Philippines this year, already claiming six lives and displacing tens of thousands. And the rainy season is far from over, two more tropical systems are forecast to hit the country in the coming weeks. Historically, the most powerful typhoons arrive near the year's end. The situation has also placed fresh pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who is set to deliver his annual State of the Nation Address next week. Critics have slammed his administration's priorities after images of workers installing presidential banners in a flooded Manila sparked backlash. Marcos, currently in Washington for trade talks with US President Donald Trump, has defended his decision to travel, saying he left disaster agencies fully prepared. Metro Manila, home to over 13 million people, bears the brunt of the flooding. Its sewage network, dating back to the early 1900s, is ageing, overburdened and 70% clogged with silt, according to public works secretary Manuel Bonoan, cited by BBC. Experts like geologist Dr Mahar Lagmay have pointed to unregulated construction and roads built over natural waterways as further aggravating the problem. He argues that effective flood control must consider Manila Bay's tides, storm surges, and dam safety. The government says a master plan, drawn up with support from the World Bank, is in the works. In the short term, officials aim to refurbish 32 pumping stations across the capital. "We have to sit down once and for all, at the soonest possible time, to find a solution," said Mr Bonoan. Newlywed Verdillo agrees, and hopes future couples won't have to walk down a flooded aisle like he did. '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.'
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.'
