Jaehwa Bernardo

Longtime couple Jao Verdillo and Jam Aguilar exchanged 'I dos' amid floodwaters at the historic Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish – Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, on July 22, 2025. Both accountants, the couple chose to proceed with their long-planned ceremony after reserving the sought-after venue two years ago and securing time off from work. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Love prevails: Couple says ‘I do’ at Barasoain Church despite rain, flooding

Maria Virginia Sy

Longtime couple Jao Verdillo and Jam Aguilar exchange “I do’s” amid floodwaters at the historic Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish – Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Both accountants, the couple chose to proceed with their long-planned ceremony after reserving the sought-after venue two years ago and securing time off from work.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Longtime couple Jao Verdillo and Jam Aguilar exchange “I do’s” amid floodwaters at the historic Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish – Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.   Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Andrew Jonathan Bagaoisan

Maria Tan

ABS-CBN News

<div>[[PHOTO ALBUM]]</div><p>MANILA — It was a scene straight out of a romantic drama: the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom, with floodwaters rising past the hem of her gown.</p><p>This was the scene at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish - Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan on Tuesday as longtime couple Jao Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar tied the knot in front of their families and other guests.</p><p>Incessant rains over Central Luzon since last week resulted in the historic church being inundated with water around a foot deep that morning, but the couple decided to push through with their nuptials.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/22/philippines-flooding-displaces-thousands-two-missing-1103"><strong>READ: Philippines flooding displaces thousands<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;Tuloy na tuloy na po. Tagal na po naming inaantay &#x27;to, so, itutuloy na po namin,&quot; Aguilar told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>(Nothing is stopping this. We have been waiting for this for a long time so we will push through.)</p><p>The couple, who have been together for 10 years, said they booked the venue two years before and had taken time off their work as accountants.</p><p>Barasoain Church was her husband&#x27;s dream wedding venue, Aguilar said.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1263259161460748%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="267" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The entourage were in barong tagalog and blue gowns as they entered the church, with their footwear placed on the pews.</p><p>Verdillo first walked to the altar with his pants folded up.</p><p>Later, Aguilar, in gown and veil, went in to meet her parents and join her soon-to-be husband in front.</p><p>Asked if they went through a wedding or a baptism, a more water-oriented church sacrament, Aguilar laughed.</p><p>&quot;Both! Binibinyagan po ang relationship naming dalawa (God is baptizing our relationship),&quot; she answered.</p><p>&quot;Mas masaya po sana kung dry, pero kung ito po ang binigay sa amin ni Lord, ito po ang ie-embrace namin.&quot;</p><p>(It would have been more fun if it were dry, but if this is what the Lord gives us, then we will embrace it.)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/7/21/widespread-flooding-hits-bulacan-due-to-habagat-high-tide-2144"><strong>READ: Widespread flooding hits Bulacan due to habagat, high tide<br/></strong></a></div><p>The two will look back to their wedding day not as a disturbance or omen, but as an auspicious start to a new chapter in their lives.</p><p>&quot;Baha lang po &#x27;to, mas marami po kaming pagsasamahan,&quot; Aguilar said.</p><p>(This is just a flood. We have much more to brave through together.)</p>

<p>It was a scene straight out of a romantic drama: the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom, with floodwaters rising past the hem of her gown.</p>

It was a scene straight out of a romantic drama: the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom, with floodwaters rising past the hem of her gown.