Blas Ople

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Blas F. Ople (February 3, 1927 – December 14, 2003) was a Filipino political figure.

After high school at the Far Eastern University in 1948, he studied liberal arts at the University of the Philippines and Manuel L. Quezon University. He graduated with a liberal arts degree at the Educational Center of Asia (formerlyQuezon College) in Manila.

Starting as a journalist, Ople was one of the youngest columnists in the era considered one of the most golden in journalism. He wrote the light and breezy column, "Jeepney Tales", for the Daily Mirror, sister publication of the old Manila Times. He eventually made his way to politics, where he was a close aide of then-president Ferdinand Marcos.

He was Minister of Labor from 1967 to 1986 under Marcos (with a small break, 1971 - 1972). An author of the 1987 Constitution, Ople was elected to the senate in 1992, and was senate president 1999-2000. He also served as the Secretary of Department of Foreign Affiars from 2002 until his death, the following year under the Administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. On December 13, 2003, Ople suffred heart attack, while boarding the aircraft to Dubai, which made an emergency landing at Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. He died of a heart attack at 10:30 a.m. at Minsheng General Hosptial in Taotuan County, east of Taipei on December 14, 2003. He was 76.

He is best remembered as one of the revered statesmen of the Philippines.

Preceded by Marcelo B. Fernan	President of the Senate 1999–2000	Succeeded by Franklin M. Drilon
Preceded by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Secretary of Foreign Affairs 2002–2003	Succeeded by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo