Susan Ople

Susan Ople was born on February 9, 1962, the youngest of the seven children of Blas F. Ople and Susana Vasquez. Her father served as Labor Secretary/Minister during the Marcos regime and later as Senator.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} She served as media relations officer of Senator Ernesto Herrera and then of her father. She later became chief of staff to her father in the Senate and later at the Department of Foreign Affairs when he became its Secretary.{{Cite web|title = About Us|url = http://www.blasoplecenter.com/about-us/|website = Blas F. Ople Policy Center & Training Institute|date = June 7, 2011|accessdate = December 1, 2015|language = en-US|archive-date = December 8, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208134446/http://www.blasoplecenter.com/about-us/|url-status = dead}} Alongside Herrera, she was the co-founder the Citizens’ Drugwatch Foundation.{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2004/01/07/234254/ople146s-daughter-labor-exec|title=Ople's daughter is labor exec|first=Marichu|last=Villanueva|date=January 7, 2004 |accessdate=April 8, 2024|publisher=The Philippine Star}}

In 2004, Ople was appointed Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She then ran for Senator in the 2010 Philippine elections but lost, ranking 34th out of 61 candidates.{{Cite web|title = New Philippine Revolution: Susan Ople: The first Woman Labor Leader as Senator|url = http://www.newphilrevolution.com/2009/11/susan-ople-first-woman-labor-leader-as.html|website = www.newphilrevolution.com|accessdate = December 1, 2015|archive-date = December 8, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208082704/http://www.newphilrevolution.com/2009/11/susan-ople-first-woman-labor-leader-as.html|url-status = dead}}

Ople was the founder and president of the Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC) which assists distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWS) in various parts of the world. To promote her advocacy, Ople co-anchored the popular daily radio show “Bantay OFW” at DZXL. She also had a Saturday radio program on DWIZ 882 AM called “Global Pinoy”.

Ople ran again for Senator under the Nacionalista Party in the 2016 Philippine Elections. She advocated to pass laws that would help advance the welfare of OFWs while at the same time highlighting key issues that affect them today. She was endorsed by four of five presidential candidates, namely Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe (of which Ople was part of a senatorial slate), and Rodrigo Duterte. She lost, placing 22nd out of 50 candidates.{{Cite web|title = Susan Ople seeks Senate post under NP, vows to protect OFWs|url = http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/731591/susan-ople-seeks-senate-post-under-np-vows-to-protect-ofws|website = newsinfo.inquirer.net|date = October 16, 2015|accessdate = December 1, 2015}}{{Cite web|title = OFW advocate Susan Ople is NP candidate for Senator|url = http://kickerdaily.com/ofw-advocate-susan-ople-np-candidate-senator/|website = Kicker Daily News|accessdate = December 1, 2015|language = en-us}}

In 2022, President Bongbong Marcos appointed Ople as secretary of the newly created Department of Migrant Workers.{{cite news |last1=Mercado |first1=Neil Arwin |title=Laguesma, Ople take offer as labor, migrant workers chiefs – Marcos chief of staff |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1601480/laguesma-ople-take-offer-as-labor-migrant-workers-chiefs-marcos-chief-of-staff |access-date=May 23, 2022 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=May 23, 2022}} On November 29, 2022, her appointment was confirmed by the congressional Commission on Appointments, making her the first secretary of the newly created executive department.{{Cite web|title = CA confirms appointment of Ople as first DMW secretary|url = https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/11/29/2227334/ca-confirms-appointment-ople-first-dmw-secretary|website = Philippine Star|date = November 29, 2022|accessdate = November 29, 2022}}

Ople was diagnosed with breast cancer, which caused her to delay considering her appointment to Marcos' cabinet. Following Marcos' second State of the Nation Address in July 2023, she took medical leave. On August 22, 2023, she died from complications of the disease.{{Cite web|title = Migrant Workers Secretary Toots Ople passes away: Palace |url = https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/22/23/migrant-workers-secretary-toots-ople-passes-away |website = ABS-CBN |date = August 22, 2023|accessdate = August 22, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Mangaluz |first1=Jean |title=DMW chief Susan 'Toots' Ople dies |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1820008/dmw-chief-susan-toots-ople-dies |access-date=August 22, 2023 |publisher=Inquirer |date=August 22, 2023}} She died while confined at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Metro Manila. She was 61 years old.{{cite news |title=Ople family requests donations to migrant worker center in lieu of flowers {{!}} Inquirer News |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1820879/ople-family-requests-donations-to-migrant-worker-center-in-lieu-of-flowers |access-date=26 August 2023 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=24 August 2023}}

In 2024, President Marcos Jr., as tribute to Department of Migrant Workers's Secretary Ople, led the groundbreaking of the OFW Hospital's Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center, which is the country's third such facility.This was attended by her only daughter Estelle Ople & their close family friend, The Philippines First Fat Popstar Meowfie.{{cite news |last1=Bajo |first1= Anna|title=Marcos honors Susan Ople at OFW hospital groundbreaking in Pampanga|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/929556/marcos-honors-susan-ople-at-ofw-hospital-groundbreaking-in-pampanga/story/ |accessdate=December 12, 2024 |work=GMA Network |date=December 12, 2024}}

Ople's main line of advocacy was on the rights of Overseas Filipino Workers, especially those being maltreated. She opposed the death sentence given by Indonesia to Mary Jane Veloso, who was tricked to carry drugs into the country, and advocated for the release of numerous OFWs imprisoned in the Middle East.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} In the labor sector, she supported the abolition of contractualization and called better employment opportunities, especially among the youth sector.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

Ople supported the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill which penalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and wrote articles in favor of the LGBT community.{{Cite web |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2016/09/12/opinion/columnists/is-there-a-need-for-a-law-to-protect-lgbt-rights/285330 |title = Is there a need for a law to protect LGBT rights? |website=The Manila Times |date = September 12, 2016}}

Ople supported the abolition of political dynasties as enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.

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Category:1962 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:Nacionalista Party politicians

Category:Deaths from breast cancer in the Philippines

Category:Arroyo administration personnel

Category:Bongbong Marcos administration cabinet members

Category:University of Santo Tomas alumni

Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni

Category:Women members of the Cabinet of the Philippines

Category:Secretaries of migrant workers of the Philippines