Dazzled by Pure Energy

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos was thrilled when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted an invitation from singer-songwriter Gary Valenciano, known as “Mr. Pure Energy,” to appear on his podcast, “Unshaken.”

“I must’ve received over a hundred messages from friends, and yes, even from former foes, who watched Gary Valenciano’s Unshaken podcast with my husband,” the First Lady said in a Facebook post.

Mrs. Marcos said she couldn’t believe Valenciano remembered a conversation they had three years ago.

“And yes… super kilig ako (I was so thrilled)! Thank you, Gary, for remembering not only my words, but the spirit behind them,” she said.

During the interview, Valenciano said he had spoken with Liza who teased him about being “maka-pink,” or a supporter of then Vice President Leni Robredo who ran against her husband, now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in the 2022 elections.

“We may have different colors, different choices, and different opinions, and that’s okay,” the First Lady said.

Save energy

“But with so many challenges facing our country today — rising fuel prices, typhoons, floods, climate change and so much more — perhaps it’s time we spent less energy putting each other down and more asking ourselves, ‘What can we do to help?’ Maybe it’s time to stop fighting one another… and start finding common ground again. Because at the end of the day, atin ito (this is ours),” Mrs. Marcos said.

In the interview, President Marcos said he initially dreamt of becoming a scientist because of his interest in mathematics and science, recalling how, as a young boy, he saw the sacrifices his parents made for public service.

The President said witnessing the demands and sacrifices of public life made him decide politics wasn’t the path he wanted to take.