Once you find ‘the one’, you should not let the person go. This is what the newlywed couple, Ricky Peralta, 43, and Jerusalem Tagatag, 36, demonstrated when they tied the knot 28 days after they first met in person.
Ricky, who is from Lubuagan, and Jerusalem, who is from Tabuk City, were among the 18 couples who got married during the Mass Wedding sponsored by the Lubuagan Local Government Unit on February 28, 2022.
In an interview, Ricky and Jerusalem recalled they started as chat and text mates in March 2020. This was after Jerusalem’s cousin forwarded her messenger’s name to Ricky, who immediately fell for her.
“Hi. Good morning,” was the first chat Ricky sent to Jerusalem.
Ricky revealed he felt butterflies when Jerusalem immediately returned his message, claiming that he felt an instant connection with her.
“Mayat iti riknam. Kasla ngay nga asideg ka kanyana kasdiay,” Ricky described.
From there, the two started chatting with each other on messenger and started exchanging text messages. Although advanced technology gives freedom for people to see each other through video calling, the two were not able to have the chance because of poor internet signal in Lower Uma, Lubuagan.
“Awan iti video call, text ken chat lang kasdiay. Diay signal idiay ayan mi idiay Lower Uma, nakapsot iti sagap iti internet,” Ricky said.
The two remained as chatmates and textmates for two years before finally deciding to meet up this February 1, 2022, with Ricky picking Jerusalem at their house in Tabuk City.
The two said they were both busy with their work and that it was only on February 1 that they made up their mind to meet in person to see where their affection for each other would lead them.
Ricky and Jerusalem remembered being nervous about meeting each other in person for the first time.
“Medyo agbibinain kami pay bassit,” Jerusalem recalled.
The two went around Tabuk City on their first meeting, and it was then they became officially a couple and went on an official date on Valentine’s Day.
What made each other special
Jerusalem admitted that she was falling in love with Ricky while they were talking to each other over the phone. She added that Ricky is so genuine and she knows he is not playing with her feelings.
“Nakitak diay gagar na kanyak,” she said.
As for Ricky, he got more drawn to Jerusalem because of her kindness and her faith in God.
Not letting go of ‘the one’
Because of that strong connection they feel for each other, marriage naturally popped into their minds.
“Ma-feel mo nga talaga nga isuna iti para kanyam, ma’am. Isu nga nag-decide kami nga agala iti papel mi,” Jerusalem conveyed.
Ricky, on the other hand, expressed that they are already past that age where they can play games, saying, “tapos na yung pagkabinata na pasyal pasyal.”
Having found each other and tied the knot 28 days after their first meeting, Ricky and Jerusalem advised that when you already found ‘the one’, you shouldn’t let that person go.
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