It’s confirmed: Mar Roxas and Korina Sanchez are set to tie the knot this year.

The senator made official his engagement to the broadcaster by asking her hand in marriage from her family (a Filipino tradition called “pamamanhikan”) on June 13 at a well-documented event befitting their public personas.

“Hindi na kailangang kunin, binibigay ko ng kusa,” quipped Korina.

“Ang nangyari, parang kindatan na lang, nagkaintindihan na,” added Mar, in a jovial mood after the pamamanhikan.

The public learned of their budding romance in 2004. At the time, Roxas was vying for a senate seat while Sanchez, a popular broadcaster, was considered the perfect politician’s girlfriend for her media clout.

Mar Roxas, the grandson of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas, was the Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry before he ran as Senator, ending up on top of the tally that clinched him the post.

Mar and Korina announced their engagement on April 25, 2009 in noontime show, “Wowowee.”

Korina herself cooked food and cleaned their ancestral home in Paranaque for the pamamanhikan.  For desert, blueberry cheesecake and marzipan pili were served, cooked according to her mother’s recipe.

“Alam mo matagal na akong di nagluluto,” she said. “Si Mar, ‘di ako pinagtatrabaho masyado niyan e. ‘Tsaka naiinis siya ‘pag nawawala ako sa tabi niya, o di ba sweet?”

While cleaning their ancestral home, Korina was caught on tape saying, “Diyos ko po ang hirap linisin! Pero para kay Mar, gagawin ko ito.”

On Mar’s part, he orated, sang and danced during the pamamanhikan to further prove the gravity of his intent. He and Korina also sang a duet and Mar serenaded his bride-to-be.
 
“Tuwang-tuwa ako, sayang-saya ako na napakaganda ng pagtanggap sa akin at ang pamilya ko ng pamilya ni Korina,” Mar said.

The senator said that he studied the history of the pamamanhikan with origins in Bulacan.

“Inaral ko… yung pagbabalagtas, yung may harana, may sayaw pa---lahat ng ito binigyan natin ng bahagi,” he said.

“I’m very happy and ngayon lang yata ito and hopefully the last time siya mamanhikan kahit kanino,” responded Korina. “At ngayon lang may balagtasan! So alam mo talaga na pusong-Pinoy siya. I think he’s very traditional in a way and at the same time modern in some ways.”

“Kaya tuluy na tuloy na po ang kasal.”

Mar said that they will be using Feng Shui, numerology and astrology in picking a date for the Filipino-inspired wedding.

“Kung pwede nga lang na bukas na… pero alam mo naman, yung petsa…kailangang planuhin,” he said.

Based on talks, the wedding might happen in October, Korina’s birth month, or in December in time for the yuletide festivities.