POGOs not totally wrong, could provide social benefits — Jimmy Bondoc

Senatorial aspirant Jimmy Bondoc on Saturday said Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) are not inherently harmful and may give social benefits if operated correctly.

At the Panel Round of the “GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025,” Bondoc, one of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Board of Directors under the Duterte administration, was asked about his stance on POGOs amid issues of human trafficking, kidnapping, physical abuse and scamming.

"Kailangan po nating linawing maiging-maigi na hindi ko po kahit kailanman dinepensahan ang POGO. Ang sinabi ko, dahil ang POGO ay isang neutral 'yan. Depende 'yan kung sino ang namamahala. Kung ito ay maaaring patakbuhin nang tama, marami po talagang social benefits na nakukuha rito," Bondoc said.

(We need to make it very clear that I have never defended POGOs. What I said was, POGO is a neutral body. It depends on who is managing them. If it can be run properly, there are many social benefits that could be gained from them.)

Bondoc said during his time as a PAGCOR official, gambling was rampant in other countries but not in the Philippines, which only provided call centers for POGOs.

"Ngayon, kung sa under the wisdom of the new administration, sa palagay nila, hindi makukontrol nang maigi ang operation ng POGO at nararapat na isara, mabuti pong isara 'yan," he said.

(Now, if under the wisdom of the new administration, they think that POGO operations cannot be properly controlled and should be closed, then it would be better to shut them down.)

"Ang dinidepensahan ko ay hindi ang konsepto ng POGO. Ang aking dinidepensahan ay kung maaari bang patakbuhin ito nang tama. At sa akin pong tunay na palagay, base sa karanasan, puwedeng patakbuhin 'yan ng tama in cooperation with the right agencies, lalo na ang pulisya," Bondoc added.

(I am not defending the concept of POGO. What I am defending is whether it could be operated properly. And in my honest opinion, based on experience, it cold be run appropriately in cooperation with the right agencies, especially by the police.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News

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