“God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Today, allow me to give you inputs regarding Marriage not only as a Sacrament of the Church but more so of its importance and relativity in our lives whether we are Christians or non-Christians, regardless of our religious beliefs and affiliation.

The words of Jesus in the Gospel are very clear. “Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” But then due to some instances and circumstances that happen as both the man and the woman move along in their married life, either both or one of them might say, “Enough, let’s quit, it would be better for us not to continue our staying together.”

In this day and age, more people live together as couples than get married. Perhaps they perceive marriage to be a luxury that only a few can afford, and many other factors. For some, maybe they decided to live together without getting married because they believe it would be difficult for them to get out of it when they get tired or fed up with each other, without considering their children.

Most Filipinos look at marriage as a burden rather than a responsibility.

For others, they were forced to marry because of parental pressure. I know someone who got married in 1998 after one of the girl’s sisters threatened him, telling him something bad would happen to him if he did not marry her elder sister, in other words “na pikot” (a shotgun marriage).

It is rare or only a few people understand what marriage and married life is all about. The Roman Church and even other churches as far as I know do not allow two people to get married by force.

Doing so or getting married by force is also a ground for authorities (both civil and church) to declare it null and void. That there was no marriage that took place.

And it’s also not good that a man and a woman get married just because she got pregnant and just to save her and their family from great shame.

So it is good that at a young age, parents teach their children about married life, family formation and the proper upbringing of children.

The family is the very foundation of a society. If only every man and woman could understand the importance of marriage as a Sacrament that is blessed by God, I think many people will get married with the simplest ceremony. I want to remind everyone that the essence of marriage is the love between a man and a woman.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) regional director Police Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. witnessed the turnover at the Southern Police District (SPD) from its outgoing chief, Police Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete, to Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang at SPD headquarters at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City recently.

The ceremony was attended by other NCRPO officers, the SPD Command Group, the chiefs of police of units under the SPD and district directors from the Northern Police District, Eastern Police District, and Manila Police District.

The SPD supervises the cities of Muntinlupa, Taguig, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Pasay and Makati and the Municipality of Pateros.

I understand that Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan was not able to attend the ceremony because he was busy at his new assignment as Regional Director, Police Regional Office 3, covering the entire Central Luzon.

Likewise, as of this writing, the Quezon City Police District is currently under the care of its former Deputy District Director for Administration, Police Col. Melecio Buslig.