The Philippine government is ramping up its efforts to shut down all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) by the end of the year. Despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s executive order banning POGOs, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla revealed that 47 POGO firms are still operational.
Remulla stated that the DILG will conduct inspections starting December 15 to verify if these POGOs are indeed winding down their operations. He emphasised that foreign workers, primarily Chinese nationals, must leave the country once POGO operations cease as their working visas will no longer be valid.
In a local media interview, Remulla reiterated that foreign POGO workers need to leave the country as they will not have a valid working visa anymore by the end of the year.
The DILG chief has directed local government units to conduct inspections to root out illegal POGO activities disguised as legitimate businesses. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has also vowed to file charges against local officials involved in such illicit operations.
In line with the government’s crackdown, 187 Chinese POGO workers were deported on December 5. The PAOCC is also preparing to deport additional foreign workers connected to POGOs.
Earlier this week, the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) said about 20,000 more foreign POGO workers have yet to leave the country. The BI also shared that as of last month, almost 22,000 foreign POGO workers their work visas to temporary visitor visas. The bureau warned deportation proceedings and blacklisting awaits those who will fail to leave before the deadline.
To assist displaced POGO workers, the country’s Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is organising a job fair on 6 December, offering over 4,000 job vacancies. The agency aims to provide employment opportunities to those affected by the POGO ban. The agency said positions to be offered include production operators, cashier, salesclerk, warehouse crew, and transporters.
This new job fair aimed to help displaced POGO workers in the country is the latest in the Philippine government’s attempt to help the affected Filipinos. On Wednesday, the agency recognised that despite conducting multiple job fairs across Metro Manila, Cavite, and other regions, the turnout has been underwhelming. DOLE earlier said that only 202 workers were hired on the spot during the past events.
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