Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday, March 28 said he will file a bill seeking to repeal the law that provided legitimacy to the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
Gatchalian said it is also one of the recommendations raised by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who is also one of those who supported the immediate closure of POGO companies operating in the Philippines.
“That is one of the suggestions of Sen. Pimentel, to repeal that law, Republic Act No. 11590. Because that law impliedly legitimized POGO in our country,” Gatchalian told reporters during a press briefing.
RA 11590 or an “Act Taxing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations” was signed by then President Rodrigo Duterte in Sept. 22, 2021.
The senator said he agrees with Pimentel’s suggestion “because that law gave legitimacy to POGOs through the taxation regime.”
“So that was his suggestion. I will file (the bill),” the lawmaker said.
In his chairman’s report following the Senate Committee on Ways and Means inquiry into the socio-economic costs of POGOs in the country, Gatchalian maintained that the government never really earned revenues from the POGO industry.
As such, he said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) should collect the tax liabilities of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s (PAGCOR) third party auditor, POGO licensees, and their service providers.
He said earnings from the POGO industry can be used to finance priority development projects of the government.