Woman of Merit: A Redemption Candidate
Unfiltered Take:
*Not feeling the social media drama this weekend? You definitely missed out on the wild ride that unfolded between the Vice President, her chief of staff, and the House of Representatives. It was a raw display of power, catapulting us into endless chats and captivating our attention.
The Vice President, known for her unscripted, chatty nature, and the House, led by Martin Romualdez, seemingly triggered a fit of rage in the Vice President with an order to send her chief of staff to a dingy women's correctional facility. After a round of panic attacks, negotiations, and hospital visits, she found herself at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
The ensuing events followed the standard playbook of Philippine politics - filled with psy-ops, trolling, and elections happening six months away. If you still haven't had enough, dive into the details of the weekend's spectacle right here.
Now, take a step back and consider this from Mary Jane Veloso's perspective - a woman without power, pedigree, or connections, languishing in an Indonesian jail for over a decade. While she wasn't showered with power like the Vice President, imagine what she could have done with just a fraction of the resources that were available last weekend.
She's not an anomaly. Our society is littered with Mary Janes. We have overwhelming evidence to prove it.
But the good news today is about Mary Jane. Indonesia has agreed to send her home, effectively lifting the death sentence hanging over her head. Yet, she was spared execution long ago, back in 2010, when a court had already convicted her.
Why? Because citizens worldwide mobilized and organized the #SaveMaryJane campaign, rallying forces like church groups, overseas Filipinos, NGOs, activists, and many others. Mary Jane was facing execution in April 2015.
In April 2015, a global action to #SaveMaryJane was launched online. Two days later, the appeal had become the fastest-growing petition on Change.org, attracting over 162,000 signatures and sparking a heated conversation about human trafficking victims.
- Indonesian authorities delayed her execution, citing a plea from then President Benigno Aquino III, who broke protocol to appeal to the Indonesian president at the time, Joko Widodo[1].
- Several groups came together through the #SaveMaryJane alliance[2].
- Read her heart-wrenching account of her ordeal here[3].
- Mary Jane's recruiters were convicted in a separate case in the Philippines[4].
- Let's not forget the efforts made by President Rodrigo Duterte after his election in 2016, even though President Jokowi claimed he wouldn't interfere[5].
Not one to end on a dramatic note, there are causes worth fighting for, and Mary Jane is one of them.
Here's to a week that's less theatrical. - ourwebsite.com
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- The powerful social media campaign #SaveMaryJane, initiated in April 2015, attracted over 162,000 signatures, utilizing the platform for a meaningful cause, raising global awareness about human trafficking victims.
- Amidst the political drama unfolding on social media, the entertainment industry also proved its potential for creating impact when several groups rallied together through the #SaveMaryJane alliance, standing together for a common cause.
