BI expects 20,000 foreigners to leave by year end amid POGO ban

Around 20,000 foreigners working in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) firms were expected to leave the country following the nationwide ban on the industry, Immigration Bureau spokesperson Dana Sandoval said Monday.

The Bureau of Immigration expected 75% to 80% of these foreigners to be Chinese nationals.

“Ang target po natin, ang nakikita po natin more or less, there would be around 20,000 foreign nationals of various nationalities na aalis up until the end of the year,” Sandoval said on state-run PTV.

(Our target, we are projecting more or less, there would be around 20,000 foreign nationals of various nationalities who would leave by the end of the year.)

During his third State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was banning all POGOs in the country by the end of the year.

When asked about foreigners with families in the country, Sandoval said the bureau currently had no room for adjustments in the procedure.

“They would have to leave the country. Siguro kung may mga ganyan po na very limited reasons or very specific reasons, they would have to request po,” she said.

(They would have to leave the country. If there were instances with very limited reasons or particular reasons, they would have to make a request.)

Meanwhile, the BI spokesperson reiterated that the BI hoped the foreigners would voluntarily leave the country.

“Dahil po sarado na ang kumpanya, hindi na po ito nag o-operate, kinakailangan po mag downgrade din nitong foreign nationals who used to work for those companies,” Sandoval said.

(Because their companies are now closed and no longer operating, these foreign companies would need to reduce the number of their workers.)

“Mga company representatives po ay kinakailangan mag file po in the BI, do it voluntarily, mag punta na po sa BI at mag downgrade na po ng inyong mga visa, i-surrender na po ang inyong mga status at umalis po ng bansa,” she added.

(Company representatives should file before the BI, do it voluntarily, and visit the BI to downgrade their visas, surrender their status, and leave the country.)

Sandoval said that they expected the implementation to be peaceful. — GMA Integrated News