Renowned restaurateur Happy Ongpauco Tiu recently paid a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Liberty Ilagan, on this year’s International Women’s Day.
In a touching Instagram post, Happy poured out her admiration and appreciation for her mother, who had been her guiding light throughout her life.
In her post, Happy referred to her mother as the woman who taught her how to be strong. “Thank you for teaching me to have courage and to give importance to my emotions as emotions are powerful – we should never be ashamed of how we feel,” Happy wrote in the caption.
Happy also shared how her mother had taught her to love herself and be independent. As a mother, Liberty had shown her daughter the value of self-care and the importance of pursuing her dreams. “Thank you for teaching me how to love myself and be confident in who I am,” Happy wrote, acknowledging her mother’s role in shaping her identity.
In her final lesson from her mother, Happy learned how to always choose and create her own happiness.
To make her tribute even more special, Happy shared a vintage photo of her mother from the past and recreated the pose for the camera.
