MANILA, Philippines — More than 2,000 couples all over the country will say "I Do" Tuesday, Valentine's Day, as part of the mass wedding program of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) for its members.

The event, “I Do. I Do. Araw ng Pag-IBIG,” will allow lucky couples to get married or renew their wedding vows in civil ceremonies simultaneously at the SM Mall of Asia and other SM malls in Baguio, Naga, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro (CDO).

HDMF, more popularly known as Pag-IBIG Fund got its acronym the Filipino word for "love." The acronym stands for "Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industriya, at Gobyerno (Pag-IBIG).

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, concurrent chairman of the Pag-IBIG board, will witness the mass wedding ceremony for 600 couples at the Bacolod New Government Center in Bacolod City.

Another 348 couples from the National Capital Region (NCR) will also participate in the mass wedding; 200 in CDO; 200 in Davao; 80 in Baguio City: 150 in Naga; 300 in Laguna; 200 in Cebu, and 200 in Kidapawan.

Local government units (LGUs) in the areas where the mass weddings will be held also supported the undertaking through the speedy or free processing of the required documents.

Pag-IBIG Chief Executive Officer Darlene Marie B. Berberabe said the mass wedding is meant to help couples who wish to be married, but have no finances to do so.

More than helping the couples undergo the rites of marriage, Pag-IBIG hopes to use the event to promote financial literacy and greater appreciation of the concept of savings among the newlyweds.

“We also hope that these couples will see Pag-IBIG as its partner, an integral part of their lives as they build and provide for their own families. After all, the first thing that newly-married couples usually think of is having their own house as they start their families. Pag-IBIG wants the couples and their families to have a house that shelters them from the elements, and a home that nurtures them through the years,” she said.

With membership to the fund being a prerequisite for at least one of the bride-and-groom pair, the member already enjoys the benefits of Pag-IBIG membership, which include savings and access to its short-term and housing loan programs.

“The event is one way for us to reach out to our members, helping them maximize their membership by informing them of the benefits of being a Pag-IBIG member,” Berberabe said.

“The event is unlike the usual mass wedding where the celebration ends after the exchange of ‘I Dos’ between the couples. Pag-IBIG’s” kasalan” not just enables couples to legally bind their union but it also paves the way for the newlyweds to start a financially-solid future for them and their family. Pag-IBIG stands witness as the couples celebrate their love for each other on their special day,” she said.

The couples will also be eligible to win raffle prizes.

A grand prize of one house and lot package from the Pag-IBIG Fund’s pool of acquired assets valued at around P400,000 will be awarded to a pair among the participating couples nationwide.