Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar recently took to Facebook to express just how proud he is of his wife, Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, who unbeknown to many is suffering from lupus.
"I’m so proud of my wife for the strength and courage she shows in her battle against lupus. She’s an inspiration for me and the many others who are also affected by this condition. ," Villar, the chief builder of the Duterte administration, wrote in a post on his Facebook wall.
The secretary's post was itself a repost of Emmeline's earlier upload wherein she shared a close up picture of her face sans any makeup.
This allowed for the Department of Justice (DOJ) undersecretary's facial rashes to be seen in its fullness. Her eyes were also visibly red.
"On most days my lupus is invisible to others. No one can see the pain that I feel in my joints, the weakness that I feel from my low blood levels, or my leaky kidneys. But in the past week or so that I have been in the US my butterfly rash decided to go all out and announce its presence," she said.
Emmeline said that the butterfly rash is a common symptom of people with lupus. "Around half of all people diagnosed with lupus will develop a malar rash as a symptom. One study recorded a prevalence of 61 percent."
"But don’t worry; it is just uncomfortable, but I am okay. #lupusawareness #lupuswarrior #butterflyrash @hopeforlupusph," Mrs. Villar assured friends and family.
It's true then, what they say: behind a successful man is a strong woman.