Malacañang Preparing Executive Order to Implement POGO Ban

Malacañang is preparing to issue an executive order (EO) that will detail the guidelines for the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). PAGCOR Chairperson Al Tengco disclosed that the EO could be issued within the month.

“Sa pagkakaalam ko binubuo na yung EO. Ayoko ipre-empt sila…Sa aking pagkakalam, baka lumabas na this month,” (As far as I know, they are drafting the EO. I don’t want to pre-empt them… As I understand it, it might come out this month.) Tengco was quoted as saying by GMA News during a Senate games and amusement committee hearing.

He noted that the EO will provide comprehensive guidelines on how the ban will be implemented, including questions about whether it will affect operations in export processing zones. “Yung EO dina-draft para dun na nakalahad lahat. Ano nga ba, sino nga ba ang maapektuhan? Ito ba ay kasama ang nasa export processing zones? Meron kasing bali-balita yung iba nililipat sa export processing zones. Inaasahan natin na yung EO ang makakapagbigay ng entire guidelines kung paano ipapatupad.” (The EO is being drafted to outline everything. What exactly will it cover, and who will be affected? Will it include those in export processing zones? There are rumors that some are relocating to export processing zones. We expect the EO to provide the entire guidelines on how it will be implemented.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the ban on all POGOs during his third State of the Nation Address in July 2024, following raids that uncovered equipment linked to torture, scams, and other crimes. The latest data from PAGCOR indicates that the directive will impact 28,462 Filipino workers and 20,421 foreign workers.

Tengco also mentioned that some POGO companies, including Island Cove in Cavite, have voluntarily decided to wind down operations. “Ang magandang balita, mayroon na pong ilang mga kompanya ang sumulat sa PAGCOR at boluntaryo na nagsabi na magwa-wind down na slowly,” (The good news is that some companies have written to PAGCOR and voluntarily stated that they will slowly wind down operations.)

He expressed confidence that the process of canceling licenses will not face major issues but acknowledged that it will be a significant challenge for the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and law enforcement agencies.

The BI plans to cancel the work visas of foreign POGO and internet gaming licensee (IGL) employees by October, 59 days before the end of the year. “Noong August 27, nagpatawag ako ng pulong sa lahat ng may lisensya. Nakarating naman lahat ng licensees. Sa pulong nandon ang DOLE, BI, DOJ, PAOCC at PAGCOR,” (On August 27, I called for a meeting with all license holders. All licensees attended. In attendance were representatives from DOLE, BI, DOJ, PAOCC, and PAGCOR.) Tengco explained.

He added that the BI announced during the inter-agency meeting that 9G visas could not be canceled on December 31 alone, hence the decision to do so 59 days prior. The BI is also proposing mobile teams to visit POGO companies with large numbers of workers to prevent crowding in their offices.

In July, the Immigration Bureau stated that foreign POGO workers would have at least 60 days to leave the Philippines, and all pending and new visa applications for POGO and IGL employees would be affected. Additionally, the Labor Department has canceled alien employment permits (AEP) for some POGO workers and is conducting job matching for affected Filipino employees.

Read related article: 100,000 Foreign POGO Workers Face October 15 Visa Downgrade Deadline