MANILA (UPDATED) — The remains of late Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople were brought to Malacañang on Monday, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials paid tribute to her service in time for National Heroes’ Day.

The President, who delivered a eulogy, apologized for being emotional during the service as he described Ople as a “big loss to the Philippines.”

“We are told that when you are an official you must not show emotion, that you must be stoic, that you must keep yourself to yourself,” Marcos Jr. said

“Sana maunawaan ninyo kung tumulo ang luha ko dahil napakalaki ng nawala sa atin, napakalaki ng nawala sa akin, sa inyong lahat at sa bansang Pilipinas,” he said.

(I hope you understand if I shed a tear because we have suffered a huge loss, not only to me but also the entire Philippines.)

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) chief was the “best champion” that overseas Filipino workers had in the history of the migrant workers’ industry, the Chief Executive said.

“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,” he said.

“Hanggang sa huli nagtratrabaho pa din siya… Isinabuhay niya talaga ang pagmamahal sa kapwa Pilipino,” he said.

(She continued working until the end. She was a walking example of being compassionate to her fellow Filipinos.)

• Migrant Workers Secretary Toots Ople passes away

Marcos Jr. said he knew that Ople was sick, and that when he learned of her passing last week, he was dismayed that she did not receive the “miracle” that he had been hoping for her.

But days after the DMW chief’s demise, the President noted that he had an entirely different realization: “Hindi, mali ako. May milagro. Ang milagro si Toots. Ang milagro ay nabuhay siya at naging kaibigan natin at nagawa niya yung pinakamahalagang maaari niyang gawin para sa sarili niya, para sa kapwa.”

(I was wrong. There was a miracle, and that miracle was Toots. The miracle was that she lived and became our friend, and she did the greatest thing she could do not only to herself but to her fellowmen.)

Marcos Jr. said he had lost sleep over thinking of a possible successor for Ople, and eventually came to the conclusion that she was “irreplaceable.”

“These all came from the compassion and the passion that she brought to her work. This is a rare combination,” he said.

The President ended his eulogy by saying that he did “not feel sorry for Toots,” but for the Philippines who lost one of its best public servants.

“I feel sorry for the Philippines, Filipinos working abroad because they have lost the best champion that they have ever had in the history of overseas Filipino workers,” he said.

Ople will be remembered with “great fondness and affection and great respect... There is a very high standard that Toots set for us so let us not let her down,” the President added.

“I hope I did not let her down when she was alive. I fully do not intend to let her down now that she is done.”

Ople’s daughter Estelle Osorio thanked Marcos Jr. for giving her mother a chance to serve the country even when she was already battling stage 4 breast cancer when she was appointed as DMW Secretary in 2022.

“I would like to thank you for the bottom of our hearts because you allowed our mom to live her mission despite her illness,” she said.

“What she really wanted was to have more opportunity to serve and make an impact and to follow the footsteps of my late grandfather, the late Blas F. Ople,” she said.

“It is with gratitude that I thank you that you saw beyond her illness, and you saw through her heart that she really wanted your administration to be the best it could be,” she added.

In her last days, Ople was making sure that the transition in the DMW leadership would be seamless once she passes away, her daughter said.

“She told us po na she wanted to serve you at least until December,” Osorio said.

• Toots Ople says battle with cancer a factor in accepting Marcos Cabinet post

“She said that if she is given the time by the Lord, she feels that it would be enough to set the groundwork for the DMW so that whoever will succeed her will not have a hard time,” she said.

Ople’s daughter also asked Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet to continue the late Secretary’s last wishes.

“Last week, she was talking about coming to work. She talked about the plans she had including the cancer fund for OFWs, among other projects,” Osorio said.

“We hope that her last wishes for the department might be continued,” she said.

A public viewing will be held in Malacañang in the afternoon of August 28, before Ople’s remains will be transferred to the DMW’s office in Ortigas where the agency’s workers are expected to pay their last respects to their chief.

• 'We lost a bright light': Congress honors Toots Ople

BULACAN TO HONOR OPLE

Meanwhile, Ople's home province Bulacan said it would be giving an award to the late migrant workers secretary to recognize her contributions in promoting OFW rights.

Ople, who hails from Hagonoy town, would receive the "Dangal ng Lipi," an award given to Bulakeños who brought pride and honor to the province for achievements in their fields, Gov. Daniel Fernando said.

She was supposed to receive the honor next month if not for her untimely passing.

Bulacan's provincial board was also expected to pass a resolution honoring Ople's life and achievements, Vice Governor Alex Castro said.

Fernando said he would also consider writing a petition to Malacañang to declare a holiday in Bulacan in Ople's honor.

After necrological services in Malacañang on National Heroes’ Day, Ople’s remains will be brought to the DMW’s office in Ortigas on the morning Aug. 29 before her cremation in the afternoon.

Her ashes will stay in her daughter’s house for 40 days before her urn would be laid to rest in the Christ the King Columbarium in Quezon City.

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