PAOCC Seeks PAGCOR’s Help to Expedite Exit of Foreign POGO Workers

The Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) has called on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to help expedite the departure of foreign employees from shuttered Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

PAOCC spokesperson Winston John Casio noted that, despite the ongoing ban, 38 POGOs are still legally operating in the country.

Foreign workers from these operators were given an October 15th deadline to downgrade their working visas to tourist visas, with a requirement to exit the country by the year’s end.

As outlined in the ban announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his July State of the Nation Address, all POGO operations must be fully closed by the end of the year.

Casio stressed the importance of cooperation among agencies, particularly with PAGCOR, to ensure the timely departure of POGO workers. He raised concerns that if they stay, many could go underground and continue working illegally.

Casio warned that the longer these workers remain, the higher the risk that they’ll find ways to stay. He pointed to regulatory gaps in the gambling industry and urged strict enforcement of the President’s directive to completely shut down POGOs.

According to a recent Bureau of Immigration report, over 12,000 foreign workers from closed POGOs have applied to downgrade their visas—less than half of the 30,000 POGO employees.

Casio also cautioned that there could still be more than 100 illegal POGO hubs secretly operating across the country.

The National Bureau of Investigation has revealed that some POGOs are avoiding the ban by splitting into smaller groups and setting up in residential areas to avoid detection. Casio underscored the need for foreign POGO workers to leave the Philippines, as they no longer have valid work visas.

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