Driving their way to a honeymoon. President Erap and his bride Dra. Loi happily navigate their way through a throng of wellwishers.

A celebration of life spent across 50 years certainly brings memories of joy, triumphs, and sorrows shared as former President Joseph Estrada and First Lady Dra. Loi renewed their marital vows recently at their rest house in Tanay, Rizal.

With their three children, Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, daughter Jackie, and youngest  Jude, their in-laws, grandchildren, friends and supporters, the exchange of vows was one of the beautiful expressions of love witnessed in the country in decades.

To Jinggoy, Jackie, and Jude, their father will always be their enormous source of inspiration, as it has always been since they were school children, and their mother will never cease to be their “best friend.”

To daughters-in-law Precy who is married to Jinggoy, Weng, married to Jude, and son-in-law Beaver, nobody  can replace their mother-in-law for being “the perfect mother-in-law.”

According to Precy, in any domestic argument, “Mommy Loi will always take our side, not her children’s.”

Their children-in-law look up to President Erap and Dra Loi, as “real people whose personas are gilt in gold.”  But to their grandchildren, both are made of “sterling silver.”        

According to daughter Jackie:

“I can never think of life without my father who has and will always be there for us, and next to impossible to think of day-to-day life without my best friend, my mother.”

The blushing bride was whisked off by her groom aboard a golf cart to the delight of their family, friends and supporters. Among those who witnessed the momentous event were Dr. Emilio T. Yap of the Manila Bulletin, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and wife Cristina, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago and Narciso Santiago, government officials, members of the judiciary and movie personalities.