285 PAIRS WED, PLANT MANGROVE SAMPLING

They thought \"green\" on a red-letter day.
Up to 285 couples said \"I do\'s\" and then planted mangrove saplings in a Valentine\'s Day mass wedding held at a coastal area in Puerto Princesa City last February 14, 2010.
Officiated by Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo, the services held in Barangay San Jose were sponsored by the city government in line with its annual mangrove reforestation festival.
The couples, mostly low-income residents, took the opportunity to get married without having to spend a centavo. They just had to plant mangroves on-site in return.
The occasion marked the eighth year of the city\'s marine conservation program dubbed \"Love Affair With Nature,\" designed to rehabilitate known spawning grounds for fish.
\"This event has become a traditional way for Puerto Princesa to celebrate Valentine\'s Day and one of our most important efforts at conserving our marine resources,\" said Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

Philippine Daily Inquirer: Monday,February 15, 2010