Vice President Sara Duterte honored her fellow mothers on Sunday, Mother’s Day, highlighting that their “perseverance, sacrifice, and pure love” have played an essential role in nurturing and shaping the lives of children.

Aside from biological mothers, the VP, a mom of three, also expressed deep appreciation to all maternal figures, recognizing them as “light in their families.”

“In every day that you dedicate to nurturing, supporting, and guiding your children and loved ones, you are embodying the kind of love that is true, pure, and unmatched,” she said in a video message.

“As children and as mothers who are constantly learning, our response is love, respect, and the effort to live with dignity, compassion, and integrity for others and for the country,” she continued.

"To all mothers and to all who have stood as mothers, please accept our heartfelt gratitude. All the success we achieve, we dedicate and offer to you,” the VP concluded.

Despite her demanding schedule, Vice President Duterte said she and her siblings would celebrate Mother’s Day by having dinner with their mom, Elizabeth Zimmerman, late Sunday, on the eve of the midterm elections.

The VP expressed her heartfelt thanks to Zimmerman, whom she mentioned stepped in to take responsibility for looking after her youngest child during the grueling campaign trail.

After returning from The Hague, Netherlands, where her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, is currently detained for crimes against humanity linked to his bloody drug war, the VP toured various provinces and communities in Metro Manila to campaign for their allies, particularly PDP-Laban, in the midterm elections.

PDP-Laban, which positioned itself as the opposition, is chaired by the senior Duterte.

Unlike other senatorial slates that kicked off their campaign as early as February, the VP lamented that campaigning for PDP-Laban was a “challenge,” citing the limited campaign period and the fact that some of those in the lineup are “unknown" or not as prominent as the others.

The International Criminal Court’s arrest of former President Duterte on 11 March has hindered him from wooing voters for his senatorial bets in PDP-Laban, prompting the VP to take charge. The VP only began campaigning for PDP-Laban around three weeks before the 12 May elections.

The PDP-Laban senatorial slate comprises re-electionist Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, along with televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, lawyers Jimmy Bondoc, Jayvee Hinlo, Raul Lambino, and Vic Rodriguez, pediatrician Marites Mata, and veteran actor Philip Salvador.

At the last minute, the party announced on Saturday that it had adopted Senator Imee Marcos and Rep. Camille Villar as guest candidates to complete the 12-member slate.

The move is intended to establish more allies in the Senate to “protect the vice president from impeachment,” PDP-Laban said.