Number of Filipino workers in POGOs rising, BIR tells Senate
The number of Filipino workers employed in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGOs) industry has increased between 2020 and 2022 and are now almost at par with their foreign counterparts.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) disclosed this to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means which conducted a hearing to study the economic costs and benefits of POGO operations in the country.
While the hearing of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa was centered on the peace and order situation, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the ways and means panel, said his panel is concentrated on the economic impact and contribution of POGOs in the country.
“Again, this hearing will be built on the hearing that was conducted by Senator Bato which focused on peace and order, we focus on the economic gains or losses, revenue derived from POGO using the latest law, RA 11590,” Gatchalian had said during the hearing.
“And of course, the most important is the employment generated by POGOs or the lack of it. So we will focus on these three items,” the senator said.
But according to a data shared by BIR Director Sixto Dy Jr., there are 16,736 Filipino workers employed by licensed POGOs in 2022; up from 15,745 in 2021 and 13,991 in 2020.
In contrast, the number of foreign POGO workers dropped from 28,394 in 2020 to 14,838 in 2021, before rebounding to 17,509 in 2022.
As to the percentage of the POGO workers, Filipinos account for 48.87% of all workers employed by the industry in 2022.
In 2021 Filipinos accounted for 51.48 percent of all POGO workers, while in 2020 the figure was 32.98 percent
Also quoting from a position paper earlier submitted by the BIR to the Senate, Dy said “data provided by the Bureau of Local Employment shows that there has been a gradual increase of Filipino workers as against foreign nationals employed in the POGO industry.”
“From only 14.19% in year 2019, Filipinos currently comprised 48.87% of the total workforce in the industry,” Dy said.
Asked about his stand on the POGO, Sen. Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said he is “in the middle” weighing things about the necessity of totally removing the POGO industry.
“We need to be open-minded. Although a lot of things are happening, we should not be emotional,” Angara told reporters in an interview.
“We invited investors here...so let’s give our authorities a chance to do their jobs. Our call is to strengthen the regulations on POGO operations, guard them and make sure that what they are doing are legal,” the lawmaker further stressed.