Operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country have reached the end of the line as President Marcos has finally declared the end of POGOs in the country.
Speaking before the entire nation on his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, Marcos declared: "Effective today, all POGOs are banned."
"I hereby instruct PAGCOR to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year," the Chief Executive said towards the end of his 82-minute speech.
The President made the declaration as he lamented all the crimes surrounding the operations of POGOs in the country, which he said, have been "disguising as legitimate entities."
"At ngayon po maririnig namin ang malakas na sigaw ng taumbayan laban sa mga POGO (And now, we hear the loud screams of the people against POGO)," he said.
"Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into elicit areas furthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder," he added.
Marcos stressed that the "disrespect to our laws" must stop. In order to do this, the operations of POGOs should end starting July 22.
"The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop. Kailangan nang itigil ang paggulo nito sa ating lipunan at panglalapastangan sa ating bansa (The chaos it is bringing to our society and the disrespect to our country must stop)," Marcos said.
He also ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to coordinate with the country's economic managers to find jobs for the Filipinos who will be displaced by his declaration.
While Marcos recognized that many of the country's problems will be solved through this move, he said it will not solve everything. Thus, he urged the citizenry to remain vigilant and principled.
"This will solve many of the problems that we are encountering, it will solve many of the problems that we have been encountering. But it will not solve all of them," Marcos said.
"To solve all the problems that we have been suffering under, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government, and most of all the citizens must always be vigilant, principled, and think of the health of the nation," he added.
By making the pronouncement to ban POGOs in the country, Marcos earned standing ovation and the loudest cheers from his audience inside the Batasang Pambansa, with them chanting his initials—BBM.