THE Bureau of Immigration yesterday reminded foreign employees in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to comply with the government-mandated December 31 deadline to leave the country or face deportation and blacklisting.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized the urgency of the matter, adding the agency wants to ensure a smooth and orderly process for affected foreign workers.
“Affected individuals are advised to prepare all necessary travel arrangements promptly,” Viado said.
“Those who fail to leave before the deadline will be subjected to deportation proceedings and will be blacklisted,” he added.
The BI chief said as of last month, 21,757 foreigners associated with POGO operations have voluntarily downgraded their work visas to temporary visitor visas.
Visa downgrading allows foreign nationals to revert their status from a work visa to a temporary visitor visa, enabling them to remain legally in the Philippines for 59 days while winding down their affairs.
Out of the approved applications for downgrading, 10,821 foreigners have since left the country.
Last October, the BI issued cancellation orders to 12,106 foreigners who have not yet downgraded their visas.
The order requires those who have not voluntarily downgraded their visas to leave the country before the year ends.
Viado said the agency expects around 20,000 more foreign POGO workers to leave in the next few weeks.
Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said foreign POGO workers will be considered “illegal aliens after December 31, 2024,” referring to the deadline set by Malacanang for the total closure of all offshore gaming in the country.
JOB FAIR RESPONSE
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said lingering doubts about the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) could be behind the low number of participants in special job fairs it has been holding in recent weeks.
In a press conference, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma noted that many POGO workers have expressed doubts about the ban, the reason why they are not looking for alternative employment.
“We have been assessing the low number of participants from (POGO) workers. One of the reasons we saw is that many still don’t believe that the ban will take effect come December 31…. But it will come,” said Laguesma.
He said another possible reason is the type of jobs being offered in the special job fairs, which are mostly entry-level positions.
“They are looking for jobs that are the same as their current work and offer similar or higher benefits,” said Laguesma.
Last October, the DOLE held simultaneous special POGO job fairs in Parañaque City and Makati City, where 108 participating employers offered 13,744 employment opportunities.
But only 340 POGO workers registered to participate in the special job fairs, with 33 being hired on the spot.
Last November, approximately 12,378 job vacancies were offered by 790 employers across various industries during a job fair held in Pasay City.
This resulted in 38 displaced/would-be displaced POGO workers being hired on the spot out of the 298 participating jobseekers from the POGO industry.
Despite this, the labor department said it will continue to organize job fairs to facilitate employment opportunities for POGO workers who have been displaced.
He said up next is a special POGO job fair on December 6 in Binan, Laguna.
“Even come January and February, we will still help the affected (POGO) workers,” said Laguesma.
He also stressed that even those from illegally operating POGO workers are welcome to the job fairs.
Laguesma said workers from illegal POGO firms must not be discriminated upon.
“While we are focused on the workers of legitimate operators, we won’t turn our backs to those from illegal operators,” said Laguesma. – With Gerard Naval
