While much of the country found solace in reflection this Holy Week, the First Couple found theirs in food, laughter and a sandy shoreline.

“Boodling our hearts out on our anniversary day!” First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos wrote in a social media post, as she shared a candid glimpse of their 32nd wedding anniversary celebration.

They celebrated their love at Suba Beach in Ilocos Norte, where the President and First Lady chose a simple boodle fight — seafood and vegetables spread over banana leaves, eaten with bare hands, and shared with family and friends.

“When Bing Crosby first sang ‘The Best Things in Life Are Free,’ he probably wasn’t thinking about a boodle meal — although he might’ve been onto something compared to the joy of sharing time (and food) with the people we love most,” she said in her caption.

The First Lady met President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for the first time in New York City in 1988, while she was working there as a lawyer.

Five years later, they were married in a quiet ceremony at the San Francesco Convent in Fiesole, Italy. They would go on to raise three sons — Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro,” Joseph Simon and William Vincent “Vinny.”

Mrs. Marcos has long been known for her preference to keep out of the limelight.

In past years, she often stood in the background as her husband built his political career. But in the 2022 presidential elections, she became a more visible figure — taking charge of campaign strategy and logistics in what would become a historic win.

“She knows how to put a group, a team, together, find good people, put them in the right place, motivate them properly, she’s always been good at that,” President Marcos said in an interview with CNN Philippines in 2022.

Mrs. Marcos has long been known for her preference to keep out of the limelight.

Though she now carries the title of First Lady — a role unfilled for over two decades — Liza Marcos is forging her own path.

A lawyer by profession, she currently teaches at a public university and has committed her teaching compensation to support law students preparing for the bar exam. She is also known for advocating educational reforms, particularly in the public sector.

Despite her increased public role, her approach to marriage appears rooted in a personal connection and quiet strength. In a 2022 televised interview, she described her husband in a simple, heartfelt way: “I hope you get to know him the way I know him. Bong is truly kind. I can’t even begin to say how intelligent and kind he is.”

This year, the Marcoses’ anniversary celebration was less about ceremony and more about togetherness — a modest meal on the beach, a reflection of 32 years of shared life, and perhaps a message that even amid their national duties, there remains space for moments that are intimate, sincere and grounded.

As their 32nd year as a married couple passes, their story continues to evolve — not just as leaders of the country, but as partners who continue to show up for each other at both the grand and the ordinary moments.