The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) announced on Tuesday that approximately 40,000 Filipino workers will be affected by the government’s ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). This decision follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive during his third State of the Nation Address.
PAGCOR Chairperson and CEO Alejandro Tengco stated that around 31,000 direct POGO employees and over 9,000 workers in special business process outsourcing (SBPO) sectors are expected to be displaced.
“When we talk about the legal ones, I’m talking of Filipino workers… Almost 31,000 are directly working for POGOs,” Tengco said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB. He added that nearly 10,000 workers in the SBPO sector, which services gaming companies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, will also be affected.
Tengco noted that this figure does not include ancillary workers such as drivers, security guards, messengers, and helpers.
President Marcos highlighted that POGOs had engaged in illicit activities, including torture chambers and love scams, following recent raids.
PAGCOR also projected a revenue loss of approximately PHP 7 billion due to the POGO ban. The agency is collaborating with economic managers and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to address the impending job losses.
Support for Affected Workers
DOLE has announced plans to provide jobs and livelihood programs for those affected by the ban. Labor Undersecretary Felipe Egargo Jr. estimated that the ban would impact around 21,981 POGO workers and 8,911 indirect jobs.
Egargo emphasized efforts to offer employment opportunities through skills mapping, re-skilling, and up-skilling programs. Additionally, entrepreneurial workers may receive livelihood packages, such as food carts, or participate in the Government Internship Program for potential government employment.
“We’ll do it on a staggered basis. It won’t be a one-time, big-time. But we will ensure that they will have jobs,” Egargo assured.
Legislative Action
House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced that the House of Representatives will prioritize crafting a bill to formalize the POGO ban.
PAGCOR AVP for External Communications Catalino Alano Jr. reiterated the agency’s priority to work with DOLE and economic managers to mitigate job losses and ensure affected workers are supported.