THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is preparing a comprehensive reintegration program for former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Mary Jane Veloso and her family following the grant of an absolute pardon by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the DMW will help Veloso rebuild her life and achieve long-term financial self-sufficiency following her release.
“Our instructions are clear: the DMW must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mary Jane, her children, and her parents as they rebuild their lives,” Cacdac said.
“Our team heading to Nueva Ecija will work directly with the family and local stakeholders to develop a tailored reintegration program,” he added.
According to Cacdac, the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have mobilized assistance that includes psychosocial counseling, livelihood starter kits, enterprise capital and skills training.
The reintegration program will also seek to connect Veloso’s livelihood ventures with local cooperatives and economic opportunities in Nueva Ecija.
“Reintegration is not merely about coming home. It is about restoring dignity, ensuring financial self-sufficiency, and enabling Mary Jane to contribute to her local community and economy,” Cacdac said.
Marcos announced on Friday, September 25, 2026, that he had granted Veloso an absolute pardon.
Veloso was arrested in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in 2010 after authorities found more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her luggage. She was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death.
Veloso maintained that she was unaware of the drugs in her luggage and that she had been deceived by her recruiters.
After spending nearly 15 years in detention in Indonesia, Veloso was transferred to the Philippines in December 2024 under an agreement between the Philippine and Indonesian governments.
The DMW welcomed the pardon, with Cacdac describing the executive clemency as bringing a definitive end to Veloso’s long-running effort to regain her freedom. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
