DOLE completes profiling 30K of 40K Pinoy workers affected by POGO ban

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has completed the profiling of at least 30,000 Filipino workers affected by the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said Thursday.

“As we speak today, more or less ang taya ay humigit-kumulang 40,000. Ang na-profile na ay almost 30,000,” Laguesma said during the Senate finance committee hearing on DOLE's proposed budget for 2025.

(As we speak today, roughly 40,000 workers have been affected, with nearly 30,000 profiles already on file.)

Laguesma in July said the DOLE is conducting the profiling to help the affected employees identify job prospects. 

“Hinihingi namin mismo sa kompanya ang listahan para maging accurate. Ang di pa magsa-submit, mayroon nang direktiba na puntahan ng DOLE. Di naman siguro pupuwersahin. Ipapaliwanag lang sa kanila ang kahalagahan na sila ay makipag-cooperate para ang mga manggagawa nila na maaaring ma-dislocate mabigyan namin ng karampatang pagtulong,” he added.

(We are asking the companies to provide the list to ensure accuracy. We have already issued a directive to visit the companies that are yet to submit a list. We won't force them, but we'll explain to them the importance of cooperating so that we can provide appropriate assistance to their employees who may be displaced.)

Last month, the Labor chief said the DOLE is targeting to finish the profiling by September, which aims to inspect the affected workers’ skill set, their wages, and job descriptions. It will likewise determine if the workers need to undergo upskilling, retraining, and training under Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

“Sa pangkasalukuyang buwan din po, maglulusad din kami ng specific job fair para sa mga IGL (internet gaming licensee) workers na magiging interesado sa pwedeng ipagkaloob na serbisyo ng DOLE,” said Laguesma. “Kumikilos na kami batay sa direktiba ng Pangulo”. 

(This month, we will also be holding a specific job fair for IGL workers who are interested in the services that can be offered by the DOLE. We are already taking action based on the President's directive.)

During his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  announced the ban on all POGOs in the country. 

The DOLE earlier said jobs and livelihood programs would be offered to Filipino employees affected by the ban on POGOs. It likewise said it would help the workers secure employment certificates and would implement measures to avoid discrimination against the workers amid negative stigma on the industry. 

“Ang intervention ng DOLE na ginagawa ngayon, hindi lamang may kinalaman sa job facilitation, livelihood, upskilling, kasama na rin 'yung pagtingin anong pang mga klaseng serbisyo ang pwede maipagkaloob lalo na sa dependents ng mga lehitimo na manggagawa,” said Laguesma.

(The DOLE's current intervention involves not only job facilitation, livelihood, and upskilling, but also identifying what kinds of services can be provided, especially to the dependents of legitimate workers.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News