The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the Filipino people in celebrating the homecoming today of Mary Jane Veloso, after close to 15 years of incarceration in Indonesia, after falling victim to criminal drug trafficking syndicates.

Mary Jane’s homecoming is a sweet victory for the Filipino people, especially for the millions of migrant workers and their families. It is a victory borne out of tireless struggle of her family along with the organized support of migrant workers, people’s lawyers and their supporters to fight for her rights.

She remains in prison and her struggle is not yet over. But with the growing clamor for her release, we are certain that her family will soon welcome her to their home.

In celebrating Mary Jane’s victory, Filipino migrant workers and their families are making a powerful rebuke of the five-decades long labor-export policy of Marcos and past presidents. This policy, promoted by technocrats as a means to generate dollars, starkly exposes how neoliberal policies have stunted economic growth and failed in creating jobs for Filipinos.

Despite Mary Jane’s case, the Marcos government continues to perpetuate this policy, sending thousands of Filipino workers overseas, where they are vulnerable to the worse forms of exploitation, human trafficking and criminal abuse.

Mary Jane’s victory is certain to galvanize Filipino migrant workers and their families, and inspire them to intensify their fight for their rights, and to amplify their demands for an end to the decades-long labor export policy, for jobs and higher wages.