Marilyn Cahatol

Department of Migrant Workers secretary Toots Ople. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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DMW Secretary Toots Ople

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176706744545420230721-dmw-mobile-app-ofw-pass-PPA-1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. with Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople during the ceremonial pilot testing of the DMW Mobile App – OFW Pass in Malacanang Palace on July 21, 2023. KJ Rosales, PPA pool/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. with Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople during the ceremonial pilot testing of the DMW Mobile App – OFW Pass in Malacanang Palace on July 21, 2023. <em>KJ Rosales, PPA pool/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday conferred the Order of Lakandula on late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) chief Maria Susana “Toots” Ople, and praised the former Cabinet member for her legacy and service to the nation.</p><p>The Order of Lakandula with rank of Grand Cross (Bayani) is given to Filipinos who devoted their lives “to the peaceful resolution of conflict, or for demonstrating an outstanding dedication to the fostering of mutual understanding, cultural exchange, justice, and dignified relations among individuals.”</p><p>“We are reminded that there are extraordinary public servants who never truly leave public service because their legacy continues to protect the people they serve long after they are gone,” Marcos Jr. said during the conferment ceremony.</p><p>“She said she always wanted to help because they were Filipinos and no Filipinos should be left behind, should be ignored, should be forgotten,” he said.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:560px;height:316px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2005835940280033470&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-12-30T03%3A44%3A57.221344%3A3d36ac44-8a7d-4ce2-80a9-d3366faec422%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=79db2f688759984ad38d002e8657c8a3b9455098&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="2005835940280033470"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Ople was instrumental in laying the foundation of the current setup and policies in the DMW, the President said, noting that 42 bilateral agreements for overseas Filipino workers were signed during the late Secretary’s tenure.</p><p>“Lahat ng ginagawa natin sinundan lang natin ang instructions niya noong siya pa ang secretary,” he said.</p><p>“We do that because it is truly successful… and that is the genius that Toots brought to public service,” he added. “I regret not giving this award to her when she was alive because not only was she an amazing public servant, she is an amazing person. She is one of the best people I have met in my life.”</p><p>Marcos Jr. also credited Ople — who founded the Blas Ople Policy Center and Training Institute — for her network of friends and sources that helped the Philippines to build communication lines with countries long before her stint as DMW chief.</p><p>“These are relationships that Toots made in her lifetime kaya tayo may nalalapitan sa Yemen, sa Saudi at kung saan saan dahil mga naging kaibigan na ni Toots… They have learned to trust her,” Marcos Jr. said.</p><p>“She always reminded us why we make sacrifices, why we do the difficult things: It is to protect Filipinos,” he said.</p><p>“Even while she was privately battling sickness, she continued to work. She worked until the last day of her life… hanggang kaya lumalaban, hanggang sa huli nagserbisyo,” he said.</p><p>The President ended his message by underscoring that the conferment of the Order of Lakandula for Ople “is timely” as it falls on the Rizal Day, when the Philippines commemorates the heroism and service of its national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.</p><p>Ople’s daughter Estelle Ople-Osorio, who received the award on behalf of the late Secretary, thanked the President for the distinction given to her mother.</p><p>“My mother believed deeply that no Filipino should ever feel forgotten no matter how far from home,” Osorio said.</p><p>“My mother has helped saved many lives… She used what we had — her family name, her influence, her knowledge in how government works — not for personal gain but to lobby relentlessly for workers who had no voice,” she said.</p><p>“A few days before her passing. She told me she was happy with the work she has done, she is finally at peace and that she can retire from public service,” she said.</p><p>Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan also recalled how dedicated Ople was to public service.</p><p>“Kagandahang asal, maayos na pakikitungo at pagtulong sa nangangailangan… We all admire her courage and fire to fight for the defenseless,” Cacdac said.</p><p>“Her life was not about recognition, but about lives protected and dignities upheld,” Caunan said.</p><p>Ople <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/08/22/23/migrant-workers-secretary-toots-ople-passes-away">died </a>in August 2023 after battling breast cancer.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/08/23/23/we-lost-a-bright-light-congress-honors-toots-ople">&#x27;We lost a bright light&#x27;: Congress honors Toots Ople</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b2w4Fn57vCw?si=GMNo3GayU_tOVjT3" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) chief Maria Susana “Toots” Ople</p>

<p>Late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) chief Maria Susana “Toots” Ople was conferred with the Order of Lakandula on Tuesday, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praising the former Cabinet member for her legacy and service to the nation.</p>

Late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) chief Maria Susana “Toots” Ople was conferred with the Order of Lakandula on Tuesday, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praising the former Cabinet member for her legacy and service to the nation.

Marcos Jr. confers Order of Lakandula to late DMW chief Ople

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Marcos Jr. confers Order of Lakandula to late DMW chief Ople

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 30, 2025 12:14 PM PHT

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Toots Ople

Order of Lakandula

Department of Migrant Workers

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