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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ople's passing is a great loss for all of us— PBBM

Ople's passing is a great loss for all of us— PBBM

Published Aug 22, 2023 08:04 am

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the passing of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan "Toots" Ople was a great loss to the Philippines.

Susan Toots Ople.jpg
DMW Secretary Susan 'Toots' Ople (Photo courtesy of PCO)

Admitting that he was shocked over the news of Ople's death, Marcos said he has lost a friend and a "special person" who has a deep compassion for the people, especially the migrant workers.

"It’s very, very sad news. I have lost a friend, the Philippines has lost a friend. Secretary Toots was a special person," Marcos said when sought for a statement on the sidelines of his visit at the Toyota plant in Laguna on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

"With the deep compassion really for the people she had to care for, namely the migrant workers, and she was very very—she’s a big loss," Marcos added.

The President hailed Ople for her excellence and compassion in serving the country, and expressed regret over the service "she could have still rendered."

"Ang galing-galing ni Secretary Toots. She was very much following the tradition of Ka Blas Ople, of excellence, of compassion, it is a great loss for all of us, it is a great loss for all of us over my friend," the Chief Executive said.

"It is a great loss to the Philippines for the service we know she could have still rendered," he added.

In a separate statement, Marcos said Ople has "dedicated her life, in every waking moment, to the welfare of labourers in general and migrant workers in particular."

She was tireless in her pursuit to always support and find protection for our workers, he added.

"There cannot be a better example of the perfect mix of compassion and hard-nosed pragmatism than in Toots. She got many things done in her years of public service, and all for others, never for herself," the President said.

"I grieve together with her family and all those who called Toots a friend. Our prayers are with you," he expressed.

In a statement, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced the passing of Ople on Tuesday.

"Secretary Toots peacefully joined our Creator at around 1 p.m. today, August 22, 2023 surrounded by her family and loved ones," the DMW said.

A vocal advocate for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Ople was handpicked by Marcos to lead the newly-established DMW.

Ople served as Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary from 2004 to 2009 under the Arroyo administration.

When her father Blas Ople served as Foreign Affairs Secretary, she was his Chief of Staff.

She was also the president and founder the Blas Ople Policy Center (BPOC), an organization that assists and caters to the needs of OFWs, including assistance to those who had been victimized by human trafficking syndicates.

Related Tags

Bongbong Marcos susan toots ople DMW President Marcos
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