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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider BI, NBI should expedite deportation of foreign POGO workers

BI, NBI should expedite deportation of foreign POGO workers

Published Feb 20, 2025 09:57 am

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should expedite the deportation process for foreign nationals who previously worked for Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs.


Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday, February 20 made the call as he expressed disappointment over the delays in the deportation proceedings due to existing policies of the NBI with regards to issuance of clearances to foreign POGO workers who are subject for deportation.


The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) earlier asked the NBI to amend its policy on issuing clearances to foreign POGO workers who are up for deportation.


As per NBI’s policy, potential deportees can only secure NBI clearance by presenting their respective passports.


Most of them, however, had their passports taken by their previous POGO employers, leading to a significant delay in their deportation.


In the absence of a passport, the senator said the BI and NBI should establish other means of verifying the identity of potential deportees such as utilizing fingerprint records taken by the BI.


“Government agencies must work together to deport foreign POGO workers quickly so that law enforcement can focus on tracking down those who still defy the President’s ban,” Gatchalian said.


The ban on POGOs took effect in December 31, 2024, or last year months after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. outlawed their operations.


The ban led to a deportation of foreign workers previously employed in POGO firms.


But according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), only 3,024 foreign workers have been deported so far out of the 30,144 documented foreign POGO workers.



Related Tags

bureau of immigration Sherwin Gatchalian POGO workers POGO ban National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
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