On July 22, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) and ordered PAGCOR to cease POGO operations by the end of the year, and directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to assist workers who will be unemployed. During a public hearing of the Gaming and Amusement Committee, PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco stated that the process will be implemented immediately after the President issued an executive order this month.
Tengco mentioned that in a cross-departmental meeting and another meeting with licensees, it was unanimously agreed that visas for foreigners working in Philippine offshore gaming companies will also be canceled.
Jessa Mariz Fernandez, Assistant Vice President of PAGCOR’s Offshore Gaming Licensing Department, stated that the cancellation of visas will be done in phases. Initially, visas will be voluntarily downgraded until a specific time, after which all visas will be canceled. It is expected that through this process, the operations of POGOs will also gradually decrease by December 31, 2024.
However, Tengco noted that some online gaming companies have already informed them that they will begin reducing operations: "Two months after the SONA was issued, we had 46 companies. Today, we only have 41. This means that we have already had 5 companies canceled."
Deputy Minister of Labor Felipe Egargo Jr. assured that they will assist the estimated 28,500 Filipinos who will be unemployed from offshore gaming companies. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police has formed a special task force to conduct law enforcement intelligence operations aimed at dismantling illegal activities and networks of Philippine offshore gaming companies.
