Over 5,000 foreign POGO workers failed to downgrade visas — DOJ

More than 5,000 foreign workers in Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) have failed to downgrade their visas amid the government’s efforts to shut down such businesses before the year ends, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday.

“You are not allowed to work anymore, only in the winding down of the companies. But to actively play a role in getting bets or conducting the business, nobody is allowed to do that anymore,” said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla when asked what will happen to foreign POGO employees who failed to meet the October 15 deadline.

Visa downgrading will allow foreigners to revert their status from work visa to a temporary visitor visa, which will allow them to legally work in the Philippines for a 59-day period.

In comparison, more than 12,000 foreign workers of discontinued POGOs have applied for the downgrade of their working visas, the Bureau of Immigration has said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs last July as such businesses had ventured into illicit activities following the series of raids that led to the discovery of torture chambers, love scams, and other crimes.

The head of the Justice Dept. said many of the foreign POGO workers, who are mostly Chinese citizens, do not want to return to their home countries yet.

“There are many people who have not voluntarily downgraded their visas. This presents a dilemma to us because it shows that many of them really don’t want to leave the country,” said Remulla.

“We can cope with it. I don’t think there’s a problem coping with it. It can result in a humanitarian crisis if we do not handle it properly. But I think we already considered all the possibilities when we started this matter,” he added.

Following the President’s order, all POGOs in the country will be closed by December 31.

Hence, the DOJ warned that all foreign workers who did not downgrade their visas will be deemed as illegal aliens.

“They will be considered as illegal aliens after December 31,” said Remulla. —RF, GMA Integrated News