Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, January 2, renewed the push for the passage of the bill that would institutionalize the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Hontiveros made the call after the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) announced that it will focus on seizing properties and cancelling birth certificates that were fraudulently acquired by foreigners linked to POGOs this New Year.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra had earlier confirmed that the OSG will play a part in the winding-up of POGO operations after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the closure of these firms before the end of 2024.

Hontiveros welcomed the OSG’s move to proactively revoke birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals especially those linked to POGOs.

“Ngayong bagong taon, dapat New Year’s resolution na ng gobyerno ang matiyak na walang dayuhan ang mananamantala ng ating mga institusyon (This new year, the government's New Year's resolution should be to ensure that no foreigner takes advantage of our institutions),” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Sigurado ako na meron pa diyang mga dayuhan na ginagamit ang Philippine birth certificate sa maling paraan, kaya sana maiging matukoy na sila at maparusahan sa batas) I am sure that there are still foreigners who use the Philippine birth certificate in the wrong way, so I hope they can be identified and punished by law),” she said.

The opposition lawmaker said it is important to be vigilant about efforts of POGO criminals to obtain Filipino citizenship by whatever means.

“Nararapat din na trabahuin na ng OSG ang pagkuha sa mga ari-ariang iligal na ginamit ng mga POGO (The OSG should also work on the acquisition of illegal properties used by POGOs),” she said.

These properties, Hontiveros said, should then be used as reparation for human trafficking victim-survivors, as stated in the Anti-Financial Account and Scamming Act.

“I hope the year 2025 is the year we finally pass the Anti-POGO Act,” she said referring to Senate Bill No. 2868.

“Kailangan natin ng komprehensibong batas para masigurado na wala nang POGO ang mangsca-scam, mananakit, at manlilinlang sa napakaraming tao (We need a comprehensive law to ensure that there are no more POGOs to scam, hurt, and deceive so many people),” she said.

The bill primarily prohibits and penalizes any establishment, operation, or conduct of offshore gaming in the Philippines; any acceptance of betting or gambling linked to these operations; acting as a gaming content provider or accredited service provider for POGOs; creation and operation of a POGO hub or POGO site in the Philippines; possession of any gaming equipment or gaming paraphernalia for offshore gaming; and any act of aiding, protecting, or abetting the conduct of any act or activities prohibited under the proposed measure.

The measure also imposes a blanket revocation of all POGO-related licenses by Dec. 31, 2024.

Hontiveros, who led the investigation into the illegal activities of POGOs in the country, earlier stressed the need to enact the bill into law to give teeth to the President’s order to ban the industry.

“I hope this bill is clear enough to put an end to all iterations of POGOs, IGLs, or such entities by any other name,” she had said.