Liza Marcos draws backlash over birthday selfie amid habagat floods

MANILA, Philippines — First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos faced backlash on Monday after announcing a birthday break from official duties as heavy rains flooded parts of Metro Manila and other areas of the country.

Araneta-Marcos posted a selfie in a garden in an undisclosed location, saying she was starting her weeklong “birthday sabbatical.”

“No makeup. No hairspray. No terno. No heels. No speeches. No official photos. No meetings. No schedule. No stress,” she wrote in a post on her official social media accounts.

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“Just me & Mother Nature,” the first lady put on her photo caption.

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Araneta-Marcos said she wanted to “slow down, recharge and enjoy the quiet” before she returns to work next Monday on Aug. 24.

She also told the public to “stay safe and dry” amid the rains in different parts of the country since the start of August.

Araneta-Marcos will turn 67 on Aug. 21.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Habagat rains, flooding disrupt parts of PH

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Despite being harmless, the first lady’s post drew criticism online because of its timing.

Critics questioned the first lady’s decision to highlight her personal break while many Filipinos were dealing with flooding and the disruption caused by the persistent rains since the start of August.

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Netizens described her post as “tone” deaf” and “insensitive.”

“And you had the nerve to post your selfie?” another commented.

As of writing, the first lady’s post already garnered almost 57,000 reactions, majority of which at about 39,000 were laughing reactions.

Metro Manila and several parts of Luzon and the Visayas were dealing with heavy rains and flooding on Monday as the southwest monsoon, or habagat, continued to bring rains.

The weather bureau warned that heavy rains were expected across much of Luzon and parts of the Visayas for the rest of the week as a low pressure area (LPA) continues to strengthen the prevailing habagat.

READ: Walang Pasok: Class, work suspensions on Aug. 18 due to monsoon rain

Images and videos of flooded roads and stranded commuters circulated on social media as the rains intensified.

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The backlash also comes amid heightened public scrutiny of the government’s response to flooding and its handling of flood control projects. /jpv