Free Mary Jane Veloso now! End Labor Export Program!

The International Women Alliance (IWA ASPAC) joins in calling for the release of Mary Jane Veloso, a victim of human trafficking in Indonesia. Mary Jane has been imprisoned for fourteen years for a crime she did not commit. Last December, MJ was transferred from an Indonesian prison to a Philippine prison. Now, her immediate release is in the hands of the Marcos Jr. government. However, six months later, the Veloso family still strives to achieve justice and freedom for Mary Jane. This shows that the justice system in the Philippines is seriously problematic.

The existence of neoliberal policies such as the Labor Export Program (LEP), which was enacted by the current Philippine president’s father, systematizes the exploitation of women workers. Under the LEP, the majority of women are treated like commodities to be sold anywhere in the world in exchange for dollars that save the declining Philippine economy. These women are called living heroes, but are not honored. Instead, they are milking cows of the Philippine government, squeezing so much out of these women workers, yet fail to provide enough services and proper protection. Mary Jane is the face of forced migration. Worse, due to the continuous socio-economic problems in the Philippines such as poverty, massive unemployment, contractualization, and slave wages, there will be more Mary Janes.

IWA-AsPac calls for international solidarity to join the Filipino people in ending forced migration, as imperial powers are the only beneficiaries of forced migration. Let there be no more Mary Janes who will be victimized by human trafficking and slavery, abuse, and violence. We call on President Marcos Jr. for the immediate release of Mary Jane Veloso and to seriously address the root causes of forced migration. Let us build a society that will create safe and secure jobs with a living wage for the Filipino people. End the feudal patriarchal system that enslaves women!