Manila, Philippines — According to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), with only one month left until the December 31 deadline, approximately 20,000 foreign workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) are expected to leave the country.
As the deadline approaches, some POGO workers have not complied with the visa downgrade regulations and continue to stay in the country.
Joel Anthony Viado, the Director of the Bureau of Immigration, stated in a declaration that about 20,000 foreign POGO workers are expected to leave in the coming weeks.
As of November 7, a total of 21,757 foreigners associated with POGO voluntarily downgraded their work visas to temporary visitor visas.
Out of the approved downgrade applications, 10,821 foreigners have already left the country.
In October, the Bureau of Immigration issued cancellation orders to 12,106 foreigners who had not yet lowered their visa levels. The order requires those who have not voluntarily downgraded their visa level and are still in the Philippines to leave the country by the end of the year.
The bureau advised foreign POGO workers to make all travel arrangements immediately.
Viado warned those who are unwilling to leave before the deadline that they will face deportation and be blacklisted.
The Bureau of Immigration's efforts to make offshore gaming company employees leave the country align with President Marcos' order to ban offshore gaming companies, which requires offshore gaming companies to shut down their operations by the end of the year.
The ban was issued following the discovery of multiple criminal activities related to illegal POGO centers, such as illegal drugs, human trafficking, kidnapping, and cyber fraud.
