The Senate Committee on Ways and Means has released its committee report that recommends the permanent banning of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian formally filed Committee Report No. 136 containing such recommendation on Wednesday, September 20.
“Isa itong mahalagang hakbang para mapigilan ang paglaganap ng krimeng nagmumula sa ilang kumpanya ng POGO (This is a very important step to put a stop to the proliferation of crimes that are perpetrated by POGO companies),” Gatchalian said.
“Inaasahan natin na maabot ang ating layunin na mapanatili ang kaayusan sa bansa, na siyang magdudulot ng paglago ng ating ekonomiya (We expect to achieve our goal of maintaining peace and order in the country that would result to economic growth),” the senator added.
Part of the committee report’s recommendation is for Congress to pass a law that would separate the functions of regulation from operation in Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s (Pagcor) Charter.
The panel report also directs the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to review POGO’s tax liabilities and subsequently report to Congress on the amount they were able to collect from them and which can be used to finance other priority projects and programs under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
The report also urges the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to look for alternative employment for Filipino nationals employed by POGOs that would be displaced as a result of the permanent ban.
The report urges the DOLE to look into the possibility of employing these Filipino workers in other industries such as Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) and manufacturing.
The Senate panel also recommended the adoption of a resolution urging the Executive Department to cease the operation of POGOs within three months from the approval of the committee report.
The report also urges the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to cancel and revoke the working visas issued to foreign nationals employed in the POGO industry and implement their deportation in accordance to the country’s immigration rules and regulations.
“Malinaw sa datos na ating nakalap nitong mga nakaraang buwan na ginagamit ng mga kawatan ang POGO para makapagsagawa ng mga krimen na kinabibilangan ng human trafficking, at iba’t ibang investment tulad ng crypto-currency at love scam (It’s clear that based on the data we gathered in the past months that these POGO operators are involved in crimes such as human trafficking, investment scams like crypto-currency and love scam),” Gatchalian added.
Based on a report released by the Philippine National Police (PNP), the total number of victims of POGO-related crimes has already reached 4,355 from January 2017 to June 30 of this year.
The crimes include incidents of human trafficking, forcible abduction, homicide, illegal detention, kidnapping-for-ransom, theft, robbery-extortion, serious physical injuries, swindling, and grave coercion, among others.
Aside from Gatchalian, senators who signed the report are Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Pia Cayetano, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Ejercito said that while he signed the report, he will push for a two to three year phaseout of POGOs in order to cushion the possible negative impact of such move to the global community.
“There has to be preparation for those who will be displaced to have alternative employment and business related to POGO to find alternative market or businesses like real estate and others as well,” Ejercito said.
“Cancelling it abruptly might have consequences on different industries related to it,” he said.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go also said he supports the committee report, saying his number one priority is still peace and order in the community.
“What is important, for me, is to make sure that Filipinos employed in these companies will still be able to find new employment opportunities,” Go said.