DOLE to offer jobs, livelihood to affected workers amid POGO ban

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday said jobs and livelihood programs will be offered to workers affected by the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).

“Mahanapan ng appropriate na trabaho itong posibleng maaapektuhan na mga manggagawa,” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

(We will find an appropriate job for these potentially affected workers.)

“Bukod sa mga intervention na ginagawa ng DOLE, may kinalaman sa upskilling, retraining, livelihood program, at ang aming pagdaraos ng specific jobs fair para sa kanila both for local and overseas employment,” he added.

(Apart from the interventions by DOLE that are related to upskilling, retraining, and livelihood programs, we have specific jobs fair for them for both local and overseas employment.)

Laguesma said the DOLE is profiling the affected POGO workers to determine the jobs that match them and the training they need for better opportunities.

Of the 79 internet gaming licenses, Laguesma said around 28 POGO firms in the National Capital Region have provided a list of their workers. According to him, DOLE is still asking other companies to submit.

Most of the jobs held by these workers are related to encoding, information technology, administrative, finance, among others, Laguesma said.

DOLE is also eyeing business process outsourcing (BPO) jobs for the affected POGO workers as that sector is committed to producing a million jobs, according to the Labor chief.

Affected POGO workers may reach out to DOLE starting this week, Laguesma said.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in the country after a series of raids against illegal POGOs revealed equipment used for torture, love scams, and other crimes.

In his third State of the Nation Address on Monday, Marcos pointed out that POGOs became involved in scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and murder.

“The grave abuse and disrespect to our system and laws must stop. Kailangan na itigil ang panggugulo nito sa ating lipunan at paglapastangan sa ating bansa,” Marcos said.

(We need to end this scourge on our society and abuse in our country.)

“Effective today, all POGOs are banned. I hereby instruct PAGCOR to wind down and cease all operations of POGOs by the end of the year,” he added. —KG, GMA Integrated News