THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has started profiling workers employed in the online offshore gaming industry in preparation for the possible banning of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the profiling is part of government’s preparations for the expected loss of jobs if the POGO industry is shutdown.
Records from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) show that 22,000 Filipino POGO workers are set to lose their jobs if President Marcos Jr. approves calls to stop the operation of online offshore gaming firms in the country.
Laguesma, in a briefing after the sectoral meeting in Malacañang, said DOLE has started profiling the POGO workers to determine how many are actually employed in the industry, what skills the workers actually possess, and what other alternative employment or livelihood are available to them.
He said alongside the profiling of the POGO workers is the encouragement for them to retain, upskill and retool to prepare them for other job opportunities.
“Anticipating na baka magkaroon ng ganoon klaseng desisyon, then workers would have the option to look at – ano iyong mga available sa kanila in terms of employment, job facilitation and also livelihood programs (Anticipating that such a decision happens, then workers would have the option to look at — wat are available to them in terms of employment, job facilitation and also livelihood programs),” he said, adding the DOLE cannot just wait when an actual ban happens and be caught off guard.
“Dapat nagta-transition na rin kami (We should also be transitioning),” he said.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) head and Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan clarified, though, that the government has not formally discussed proposals to ban POGOs nationwide.
However, he said he personally supports the banning of POGOs, believing that while the government generates revenues from it, the social costs of the industry is “quite high and may not be worth those revenues.”
He said the country might even lose more than what it would gain from POGOs.
Balisacan said the Philippines is trying to position itself as a legitimate place for business and doing all it can to attract investors and tourists to come.
“So the least that we want is to have a reputation na nandito ‘yung mga kriminal, things like that (So the least that we want is to have a reputation that we are a haven for criminals, things like that),” he added.
Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero welcomed the pronouncement of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto that he is keen on recommending to the President the closing of all POGOs in the country.
“I welcome Sec. Recto’s review of POGOs. The legalization of POGO Is not by law, but by executive fiat through PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). As I have been saying, it is up to the Executive Branch if they will continue to allow it or not since it was not allowed by law to begin with,” Escudero said.
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III said it’s about time all POGO activities be declared “illegal.”
Pimentel said POGO operators have taken advantage of the licenses or permits granted them by allowing illegal activities to operate under their cover.
“Licenses and permits are secured and then the illegal activities are conducted under cover of the license/permit (simultaneously with some little activities just for show). Some secure licenses/permits and then allow them to lapse and yet continue with operations, this time most likely illegal (in the sense of criminal) ones. Still taking advantage of the fact that once upon a time they had licenses/permits,” Pimentel said.
He said some POGO hubs actually do not have licenses to operate but can do so after getting their staff members and managers from authorized POGO facilities.
“Hence, the entire system which allows POGOs has become the problem because the system ‘has been gamed’. Loopholes have been taken advantage of. The regulators at various levels have been penetrated and ‘compromised’. Time to declare all POGO activities illegal, hence no ‘cover’ whatsoever can be used,” he added.
Sen. Grace Poe said Recto’s recommendation to stop POGO is an indication that the supposed ‘revenue contribution’ of the industry to the country’s economy “is not worth it and not enough to justify their continued presence in the country.”
She said the government can do away with the 0.2 percent contribution of POGO to the country’s gross domestic product since it is the government which is shouldering the social costs it brings.
“The figures don’t lie. Even at its peak in 2019, POGOs were only able to contribute 0.7 percent to the GDP. Even the former DOF regime said that the social ills associated with POGOs are opening up to high reputational risks which can severely affect the country’s efforts in attracting foreign direct investments,” she said.
Recto on Monday said he is poised to recommend to the President the stoppage of POGOs due to the illegal activities under its cover.
He said he is not against POGOs per se, but given the reported crimes being committed by POGO operators and workers, like the ones raided in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga influenced his decision.
Former finance secretary Benjamin Diokno has also been calling for a total ban on POGO which he said was already disallowed in other countries such as China and Cambodia. — With Raymond Africa
