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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Susan Ople most shared senatorial bet

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In the world of politics, the closest thing to a Miss Congeniality award in a beauty pageant goes to the “most shared” senatorial bet. This title goes to the candidate picked by the most number of presidential candidates as part of their senatorial slate.

And the winner is … Susan Ople.

The youngest daughter of the late Senate Preside and Labor and Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople is included in four senatorial tickets. Ople, fondly called “Toots” by her friends in the media, is endorsed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Senator Grace Poe, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Because of this, she is dubbed as the “most shared” senatorial candidate.

This is a testament to the high regard given to his father, Ka Blas. During the Marcos era, Bias Ople was the longest serving Minister of Labor in Asia. 

In 2013 Susan Ople was honored as a Hero to End Modern-Day Slavery by Us Department State Secretary John F. Kerry

Ka Blas is acknowledged as the Father of the Philippine Overseas Employment Program and the Philippine Labor Code. It is just natural that the youngest daughter follows in his footsteps.

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“I was with him from the Senate up to his last days as Secretary of Foreign Affairs. He is my idol – in his writing, his intelligence and integrity as Senator, and his love for OFWs when he was the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Labor.

Many are not aware that Toots has 16 years of government service tucked under her belt. “My first job when I was only 23 was as a researcher in the Office of Senator Ernesto “Boy” Herrera in 1987. My father became a Senator in 1992.

“If you think about it, I was in the Senate before Ka Blas,” jokes Toots.

How wasKa Blas as a boss to his youngest daughter? “If we were in the office, whether the Senate or the DFA, he was always serious. No special treatment. We were always the last to leave the office because of the many things that we had to accomplish. I learned how to write fast from my father. I also learned from him that we always have to be humble because we are all created equal.”

When Ka Blas passed away, Susan Ople decided to continue the pro-worker and pro-OFW stance and advocacies of her father. “I feel most happy and contented when I am able to help an OFW. It is as if I was able to plant a flower in my father’s garden of memories. If I win as a Senator, I would be able to help more people, and I would be able to change the system and bring back dignity to our workers.”

Because of her work in helping OFWs, especially in rescuing victims of human trafficking and slavery of Filipinos abroad, Susan Ople was recognized by US Department of State Secretary John Kerry as “Hero Against Modern Day Slavery” in 2013. She was also awarded the Alumni Achievement Award from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Susan Ople became the voice of OFWs. She led the opposition to the illegal charging of terminal fees to OFWs at the international airports. She fought against the opening of Balikbayan Boxes and the levying of additional fees. She worked to stop the laglag-bala scam and helped victim Gloria Ortinez in having all charges dropped against her and in getting back her job. She helped save Filipinos in death row such as in the case of Ferdinand Tibay and Junard Langgarnin. She was there to support the family of JoselitoZapanta during and after his execution.

According to Ople, she seeks to end contractualization of workers, fight age discrimination in the workplace, establish a hospital for OFWs, and strengthen services for the victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

“The problems of OFWs are also the problems of every Filipino – very low wages, very high prices ofcommodities, worries about the security of their loved ones, not enough money to take care of the health needs of loved ones. Slow Internet service is also a problem in the Philippines.

“Ang hirap mag-emote ang isang mag-asawa over Skype tapos biglang mawawalan ng signal yung nasa Pilipinas habang yung nasa Saudi o Qatar o Hong Kong ay walang patidang daloy ng Internet service. Bitin tuloy ang lambingan!”

Susan Ople filed a Certificate of Candidacy as the lone senator for the Nacionalista Party. She is grateful for the support of her partymates especially the Villar family. “Congressman Villar is my guardian angel. He is my number one adviser and his parents are my inspiration and-role models in public service.”

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