By Cristina DC Pastor
Darlene Dilangalen and Jesus “Bong” Borromeo first met in 1975 on a flight from Davao City to Manila. At the time, she was still a junior nursing student.
In 1980, she left her hometown in Cotabato for New Jersey as a new nurse graduate to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital (now the St. Joseph’s University Medical Center) in Paterson.
It was at St. Joseph’s that she became friends with a Dr. Thelma Figueroa, who happened to be close to Mrs. Vicky Pineda, the wife of Ambassador Ernesto Pineda, who was then consul general at the Philippine Consulate.
One day, Mrs. Pineda was admitted overnight for observation, and Darlene stayed with her as a private duty nurse.
“I refused to charge her a fee, and she was so touched by the gesture that it began a genuine friendship,” she shared. “Soon, I was being invited to the Pinedas’ apartment in New York City for dinners and Filipino gatherings.”
“By early August of 1982, Bong, who had come to the U.S. with his parents, asked me to marry him. I mentioned the idea of holding the wedding at the Philippine Consulate to Mrs. Pineda. She was delighted and quickly spoke with the Ambassador. The plan moved forward, though one practical question was raised in jest: ‘Binata ba talaga yan?’ (Is he truly single?)
The date for the couple’s historic wedding was set: August 30, 1982. Darlene, then 25 years old, wore a white summer dress paired with an Annie Hall bowler hat. She paid $50 for the registration. Her best friend from college was there, along with about 10 guests, a mix of coworkers and Mrs. Pineda’s friends. Among them were the owner of the Philippine Bread House Elma Santander and another diplomat Willy Gaa. The officiant: Congen Pineda.
Originally, the plan was to simply have lunch afterward at Hop Kee in Chinatown. But Mrs. Pineda, “with her trademark thoughtfulness, transformed the day into something far more memorable,” as recalled by Darlene.
“She arranged flowers, a photographer and videographer, and even a reception at Maharlika Restaurant owned by Nora Daza, which was located on the lower level of the Consulate. There was music, and when I walked down to the area where the ceremony would be held, it felt like a true celebration—thanks to her generosity. I will never forget their kindness for as long as I live.”
Darlene and Bong’s wedding at the Consulate was the first-ever held there. In fact, it opened the doors for other couples to opt to be married in a venue which is an extension of Philippine sovereignty. Consular officials are authorized by the Philippine government to perform “marriage solemnization” after the couple submits required documentation which includes birth certificates, Philippine passports, U.S. visas, and proof of dissolution of previous marriage if it applies.
The marriage license costs $25.00, and the solemnization fee is $60.00. The $50 paid by Darlene 43 years ago has not increased much.
“My best friend Lisa Tomimbang later married Hercules Marasigan at the same venue, and I even read that Marilen Montenegro also had her wedding there. That day remains one of the most unforgettable milestones of my life.”
And as if one wedding was not enough, Bong and Darlene went on to marry three times in 1982—first at the Consulate, then before a judge in Passaic, and finally, on September 11, with a church wedding in Jersey City.
The couple have three adult children: Jonathan, Juanito and only daughter Jade Borromeo Flinn, a nurse and the director of the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit.
