Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called the Philippines' removal from the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) so-called "grey list” a reversal of the "reputational damage" brought to the country by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). "The removal of the Philippines from the...
Senator Mark Villar raised the issue of the issuance of seemingly legitimate yet fake documents to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers by travel agencies. Sen. Mark Villar says the recent entrapment operation conducted by members of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission...
Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has expressed interest in supporting offshore wind (OSW) development in the Philippines. In a briefing on Thursday, Feb. 6, Yasunori Takamatsu, president of MOL Enterprise Philippines, Inc., said the company is open to transporting materials needed for OSW...
For Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, the government should already anticipate the presence of Chinese spies in the country considering the tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). "Dapat maging ano na rin tayo, dapat iexpect na rin natin yan dahil alam naman natin meron tayong alitan sa [WPS] at alam...
The Department of Energy (DOE) is supporting eight developers to pursue offshore wind (OSW) projects totaling nearly 17,000 megawatts (MW) set to begin construction in 2027. According to DOE data, these frontrunner projects have a potential capacity of 16,652 MW and are located in several...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Wednesday, January 8, that they are working on a separate resolution that seeks to investigate the apparent failure of banks and other financial institutions to flag suspicious transactions of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). "Kasi nga yan yung isang...
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has called for sustained action against Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to ensure that the industry's remnants are effectively purged. “More than ever, we need to sustain our efforts to clear out all criminal syndicates that are products of POGOs. We must...
The country's offshore wind industry is just lifting off, but its massive potential is already making waves – and it is poised to redefine the Philippines’ energy future. Reaching the first megawatt of offshore wind power demands more than just ambition—it demands seamless alignment of every...
Instead of boosting the Philippine economy, the recently banned offshore gaming industry exposed the country's systemic vulnerabilities, including money laundering, human trafficking, and espionage, according to the Stratbase Institute. "The POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) phenomenon,...
The Department of Energy (DOE) is firming up a policy that will reduce the performance bond requirement for offshore wind projects to a leaner five percent, a departure from the typical 20 percent required in green energy auctions (GEA) for other renewable energy (RE) technologies. At a year-end...
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement of a dedicated green energy auction (GEA) for offshore wind projects next year has serious industry players excitedly charging ahead like surfers eyeing that perfect swell into the deep sea—but are we ready to catch the big wave on these uncharted...
After winding down large Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), the government's next crackdown would be on the small-time POGO hubs. POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission) By January, the government is expecting to run after small POGO...