President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spent Mother’s Day honoring the women closest to him Sunday, though one conspicuous omission from the family tribute proved difficult for political observers to miss.
In a Facebook post filled with affection for First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos and sister Irene Marcos-Araneta, the President somehow managed to leave out one sibling entirely: Sen. Imee Marcos.
The omission quickly revived talk of the long-running cold war inside the Marcos family after Imee herself recently disclosed that she and her younger brother, “Ading,” have not spoken for nearly three years.
“To my dear Liza, Happy Mother’s Day. I have watched you love this family for years, not out of a mother’s duty but out of a mother’s love,” Marcos wrote.
“Our boys could not have asked for a more loving mother, and I could not have asked for a better partner to walk through life with,” he added.
The President also greeted Filipino mothers in general, calling them the “light of the home” and the foundation of every Filipino family.
“To every mother, there is love and sacrifice beyond what words can express,” Marcos said in Filipino.
Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, issued her own Mother’s Day message from the opposite side of the country’s political fault line.
“As a mother, I know the weight and joy of our duty — the silent prayers we offer for our children, the long hours we spend ensuring they are safe, and the constant effort it takes to balance work and family,” Duterte said.
She also paid tribute to overseas Filipino worker mothers enduring separation from their families.
“Sometimes, the greatest sacrifice is the distance you endure,” Duterte said.
Duterte also recognized women serving as mother figures in Filipino households, saying motherhood goes beyond biology.