Kalayaan Hall, Malacañan Palace
August 28, 2023
“And if I do shed a tear, it is because it is such a sad day to know, it is such a sad bit of knowledge to know that Toots will not be here anymore. And what a big gap she will leave, not only to her friends, not only to her family, but to the millions of those who she took care of. Who she loved and who she worked for tirelessly and endlessly,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emotionally expressed in his eulogy during the necrological service for the late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Maria Susana ‘Toots’ Ople at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañan Palace.
Honoring the accomplishments and legacy of the first full-fledged DMW Secretary, the President said that she is irreplaceable.
“Hindi na mapapalitan si Toots. Maghanap tayo ng kasing galing niya pero huwag na tayong umasa na mapalitan si Toots,” he said of a good friend and colleague whom he described as a “more genuine person you could not find.”
“I feel sorry for the Filipinos who are living and working abroad because they have lost the best champion that they ever had, they ever had in the history of overseas workers for Filipinos,” President Marcos Jr. continued as he called on everyone to honor the late Secretary and remember “what is it she worked all her life for, what was the most important thing to her.”
“I will always remember her with great fondness and affection, and great respect…Toots will always be one of the best people I have ever known,” the Chief Executive ended in his eulogy.
The necrological service for the late Secretary Susan ‘Toots’ Ople was attended by Vice President and concurrent Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte, several Cabinet Secretaries, family members, friends and members of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute.
Secretary Ople’s remains are open for public viewing at the Kalayaan Hall in Malacañan Palace on this day from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Departure and transfer of remains to the DMW Building will be undertaken at 5:30 PM.
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