MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the entire nation mourn the passing of Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople, passed away at the age of 61.
Last July 25, DMW announced that Ople would take a two-week wellness leave following the consecutive passing of her older brothers, former Hagonoy, Bulacan Mayor Felix “Toti” Ople and former journalist Blas F. Ople Jr., both due to lung cancer. The losses prompted her to seek time for personal healing and wellness.
In addition to these challenges, Ople herself underwent surgery for Stage 2 breast cancer in February 2020.
Secretary Ople was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to head the Department of Migrant Workers at the onset of his administration, a department she had been pushing for the government to create for several years.
A tireless champion overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) rights, she founded the Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC), named after her father, which offered assistance and other programs to distressed OFWs.
With her passing, the nation has lost a dedicated champion of migrant workers’ rights.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez told media upon Ople’s passing that her work played a major role in safeguarding the welfare of millions of overseas Filipino workers.
Ople’s unwavering commitment to OFWs earned her the admiration of colleagues and friends alike. Senator Francis Escudero shared his personal connection as she was a goddaughter of his father, reflecting on the significant void her passing leaves. (with reports from PNA)
