HEADLINES

A most red-letter occasion: Liza Day

Raffy Ayeng · Aug 22, 2026, 12:05 AM

Day above all President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. greeted First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos with a do-it-yourself birthday card on her 66th birthday, posted on his social media page. The Chief Executive waxed romantic in describing the day as the ‘most important day in the calendar.’ — PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of Bongbong Marcos/fb

On her 67th birthday on Friday, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos received the highest praise from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In a Facebook post featuring a photo of a young Liza with their sons and himself, the President described his wife’s birthday as the most important day on his calendar.

“My dear Liza, we’re celebrating today a most important day on the calendar: Liza Day! Happy birthday to the First Lady of every day of my life... and beyond!” Mr. Marcos wrote.

The post drew over 100,000 likes and well wishes from thousands of commenters.

Days before her birthday, the First Lady announced in a photo taken in a sunny Malacañang garden that she would be taking a sabbatical. The announcement drew criticism, however, as Metro Manila and neighboring provinces were then being inundated by floodwaters.

No offense intended

The Palace quickly apologized to those offended by the Facebook post.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the First Lady understood the netizens’ sentiments and they had a right to express their opinions.

She noted, however, that days before the heavy rains fell, the First Lady had done socio-civic work, including distributing rice to senior citizens in Negros Occidental as part of her “Lab For All” program and meeting with sugar industry stakeholders in a bid to revitalize the sugar industry.