MANILA, Philippines—One of the five godfathers in the long-planned but scaled-down wedding of Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez is Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
No less than the groom announced Aquino’s role in the wedding scheduled on Oct. 27 at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.
Among the other principal sponsors are Rosa Rosal of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, ABS-CBN president Gabby Lopez, former Senate President Jovito Salonga and broadcast journalist Che-Che Lazaro.
The best man is Paolo Roxas, the groom-to-be’s teenage son by an earlier relationship.
As is widely known, Aquino is Sanchez’s ex-boyfriend. He is also the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party, and Roxas is his running mate.
The engaged couple had earlier planned a big reception at the Araneta Coliseum. But on Tuesday, they turned over P2.2 million to six groups to be used for relief assistance to the victims of Tropical Storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”
Juice, ‘pan de sal’
Roxas told reporters that instead of a reception, refreshments consisting of juice and pan de sal would be served to the guests at the church after the 3 p.m. wedding.
Political and show biz personalities as well as representatives of people’s groups, nongovernment organizations and communities close to the couple have been invited.
The wedding entourage will be treated to dinner at the Roxas-Araneta clan’s White House in Cubao, Quezon City.
“Instead of spending for the reception at Araneta Coliseum as planned, Mar and I agreed to donate the amount set aside for it to various charity organizations taking care of evacuees and victims of Ondoy and Pepeng,” Sanchez said.
The couple donated their reception budget to the following: Caritas Philippines, P500,000; ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya, P500,000; GMA Kapuso Foundation, P500,000; PNRC’s National Blood Service, P250,000; PNRC, P250,000; Igan Foundation, P100,000; and ABS-CBN Foundation Kapamilya Shower Na Project, P100,000.
Unmarried ‘ninong’
“Ninong” Noynoy, 49, is himself unmarried, and there’s no sign that he is settling down any time soon.
His current squeeze is Valenzuela Councilor Shalani Soledad, who is reportedly considering a run for the city’s second congressional seat in the 2010 elections.
Aquino has neither confirmed nor denied past loves bruited about in newspaper reports and Internet blogs.
But it is well known that he had a relationship with another broadcast journalist, Bernadette Sembrano. He also had a short-lived affair with Joy Herrera, a former staff member of Sen. Francis Pangilinan, also of the Liberal Party.
