The Catholic group Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking is keeping eye on the enforcement of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) ban.
A Catholic group is keeping eye on the enforcement of the country's ban on offshore gaming operators (POGO), as they voiced their concern regarding its links to human trafficking.
"There was links between the so-called Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGO, and human trafficking," Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking (PIMAHT) said in a statement.
PIMAHT said this as the group met up with local Church leaders, including representatives from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).
They welcomed the government's decision to ban POGOs by the end of the year and pledged to monitor the implementation of this policy.
Fr. Bryand Restituto, CBCP assistant secretary general, highlighted the potential negative impact of POGOs on Filipino families, particularly children left behind by POGO workers.
"The PIMAHT upholds the decision of the Philippine government to the banning of all the POGO’s come end of the year, and as a network, it will become a watchdog to the progress of these directives," Restituto said, as quoted by CBCP News.
Restituto also voiced concern over children left behind by POGO workers.
He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to address the social and economic consequences of the POGO industry.
The rapid growth of the POGO has been linked to a surge in prostitution activities in the Philippines. The influx of wealthy foreign workers has created a lucrative market for sex work, while economic disparities and limited job opportunities have made Filipino women vulnerable to exploitation.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a ban on POGOs during his State of the Nation Address, following it up with Executive Order 74 which formalized the operations against POGOs.
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