DOLE, PAGCOR concerned for workers but will follow Marcos' POGO ban

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) have expressed concern for the thousands of Filipinos who will lose their jobs after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s banned Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) in the country.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, however, said they would comply with Marcos' orders in connection with the ban that was announced in the Chief Executive's 3rd State of the Nation Address.

“May concern kami pero ‘yan ay direktiba na dapat ipatupad,” Laguesma said in an ambush interview.

(We have concerns but that is a directive that must be implemented.)

“At dahil nandiyan na ang direktiba, binigyan naman ng transition period, gagawin ng DOLE ang kanilang pagi-implementa, pagba-balangkas kung paano natin paggagangin at hindi mahirapan ‘yung mga maapektuhan na mga manggagawa,” he added.

(And because the directive is there and a transition period was also given, the DOLE will implement the directive and draft plans on how to alleviate the situation of the affected workers.)

Laguesma said that the DOLE had anticipated and was preparing for the impact of the POGO ban.

The DOLE Secretary had said around 22,000 Filipinos who worked in legal POGOs in Metro Manila might lose their jobs with a prohibition.

Tengco said the plight of the workers who would lose their jobs with the ban is something that need to be looked into.

He also mentioned other businesses connected to the POGO industry.

"To be honest, 'yun ang dapat nating pag aralan. Tulad ng sinasabi ko sa Kongreso at Senado, ang concern ko talaga yung mga trabahador na mawawalan ng hanapbuhay. 'Yun din naman 'yung ibang negosyo na nakakabit sa mga POGO," Tengco said when asked if there would be enough time for workers who would be affected by the ban.

(To be honest, that is something that should be looked into. As I have said in Congress and in the Senate, my concern is for the workers who will lose their jobs. That also goes for those in businesses connected to POGOs.)

Tengco also answered in the affirmative when asked about the chance that illegal POGOs will proliferate.

"Well, that is the second half, tama ka d'yan, dadami ang illegal. Siguro kailangan talaga ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa law enforcement agencies," Tengco said.

(Well, that is the second half, illegal POGOs will sprout. There is a need to engage law enforcement agencies.)

He said he would follow Marcos' directive to stop all POGO operations by the end of the year.

"Well I think what’s very clear. The President has already spoken," Tengco said.

"Well he says basically end of the year, that gives me six months. So I suppose we have to start the process. We cannot just do it by the end of the year, there will be a process first," he added.

“Given the instructions to PAGCOR and basically to me to already have it processed, because ang gusto ng Pangulo, sa katapusan ng taon ay totally wala nang operations (what the President wants is that there would totally be no operations by the end of the year),” Tengco said.

“Pagsapit ng 2025, gagawin natin ang lahat ng magagawa para wala nang mago-operate na internet gaming license,” he continued.

(We will do everything possible to ensure that no internet gaming licenses would be operating by 2025.)— DVM/NB, GMA Integrated News