Talamban couple wed to set example for their daughter

Susan Vellayo and Elmer Mansalay, with their 3 year old son, Owen, wait for their turn to walk down the isles of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. (CDN PHOTO/DORIS C. BONGCAC)

Susan Vellayo, 45, and Elmer Mansalay, 48 walked down the aisle of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral yesterday to exchange wedding vows.

Instead of proceeding to a feast afterward, the couple from barangay Talamban in Cebu City went home to the funeral wake of Elmer’s mother who died on Saturday.

“Lisud among kahimtang pero amo gyud gipadayon among kasal para sa among anak nga babaye,” said a teary-eyed Susan.

(Our situation is difficult but we have to push through with the wedding for our daughter’s sake.)

Susan said they wanted to set an example for their daughter, Oshin, who is living in with her boyfriend, and has two children aged 4 and 2.

“We want them to get married next,” Susan told Cebu Daily News.

Susan and Elmer were among 46 couples who had their unions solemnized in a mass wedding sponsored by the Cebu City government.

Msgr. Ruben Labajo officiated the ceremony.

The city government allocated P750,000 for the mass wedding through the Women and Children’s Commission.City Hall paid for the wedding license, the bride’s bouquet and a lunch at the Grand Convention Center.

Couples took care of their wedding rings and clothes.

Susan recalled that she was 21 years old in 1990 when she gave birth to her daughter. Instead of marrying the baby’s father, Elmer, she broke up with him.

“My family didn’t approve of him,” she said.

As the eldest of 12 children and the family’s breadwinner, she worked at a shellcraft company.

Elmer, an airconditioner technician, was also helping support his six siblings.