Kilusang Mayo Uno welcomes the news of Mary Jane Veloso’s return to the Philippines after 14 years of unjust imprisonment in Indonesia.
Upon Mary Jane’s return, she must be granted immediate clemency as a victim of human trafficking. The government must ensure her complete rehabilitation and reintegration. Mary Jane’s traffickers must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
Mary Jane’s case exemplifies the desperate situation of Filipino workers forced to seek employment abroad due to the lack of decent jobs and living wages in the country. Her story as a victim of human trafficking exposes the lack and inefficiency of safeguards for OFWs. More importantly, it reflects the continued failure of the government’s labor export policy that has pushed millions of our workers into vulnerable situations overseas.
This systematic displacement of Filipino workers is starkly illustrated by recent data. The Department of Migrant Workers reports that 2 million Filipino workers were deployed overseas as of September 2024, while NEDA’s data shows 1.89 million unemployed Filipinos during the same period. These figures reveal the fundamental failure of the national economy to provide decent jobs for its people, forcing many to seek opportunities abroad despite the risks.
We commend the persistent struggle of Mary Jane’s family, along with various migrant workers’ organizations, labor groups, unions, and advocates who never wavered in fighting for her freedom. Since 2015, migrants and human rights advocates have campaigned to save her life from execution and to demand clemency for Mary Jane Veloso. Our unwavering campaign to expose the truth about her case as a victim of trafficking has contributed significantly to this development.
While we acknowledge the diplomatic efforts that led to this arrangement, we emphasize that Mary Jane’s case highlights the urgent need to address the root causes that drive Filipinos to dangerous overseas work. The government must end its dependence on labor export and instead focus on creating decent jobs with living wages in our country.
Kilusang Mayo Uno stands firmly with Mary Jane Veloso and all victims of forced migration and trafficking. Her freedom will be a victory for all Filipino workers fighting against modern-day slavery and exploitation.