Latest news with #POGOs
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
From POGOs to PIGOS: Is the government breeding the same evil?
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) was already running for close to an hour and a half before what appeared like a hushed audience when he announced, 'Effective today, all POGOs are banned. It certainly became the highlight of his report to the nation, drawing cheers and a standing ovation from many lawmakers and guests. Marcos had said POGOs had ventured into illicit areas such as scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture, and murder. Four months later, on November 8, 2024, he would issue Executive Order No. 74 that banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) effective December 31, 2024 . The order covered illegal offshore gaming operations, license applications, license renewals, and cessation of operations. But concerns are emerging that the Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs), which were seen to help shore up the gaming revenue and employment gap that resulted from the POGO departure, are causing their own problems. No less than Senate President Francis Escudero had said that Pigos should be subjected to scrutiny. In contrast to POGOs that target the international market, PIGOs are licensed operators offering online gambling platforms to users in the Philippines. According to the International Masters in Gaming Law, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) started issuing PIGO licenses in 2020, where services were then aimed exclusively at VIP players already on the gaming regulator's player database. GMA News Online has reached out to PAGCOR for confirmation and will update once it responds. Though PAGCOR did not disclose the revenue specifically attributed to PIGOs, data showed that the gaming industry posted a gaming revenue (GGR) of P372.33 billion in 2024. Of this, P201.83 billion is from land-based casinos, P154.51 billion is from e-games and e-bingo, and P15.97 billion is from PAGCOR-operated casinos. "We partly attribute the strong performance of the local gaming industry to the strategic policy adjustments that we have implemented, such as the gradual reduction of fee rates for E-Games since 2023," PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco said. "At the time, PAGCOR was collecting between 50% to 55% license fees, thus deterring expansion, but effective January 1, 2025, our fee rates for E-Games stand at only 30% of GGR," he added. Review Some government officials, however, are concerned about the possible effects of PIGOs, including Escudero, who has called for a review of their operations. In March, Escudero warned that POGOs may have simply rebranded as PIGOs to continue their operations. 'Kung ipinagbawal nga natin ang POGO kaugnay ng pagsusugal ng dayuhan, hindi ba dapat lalo 'yung pagsusugal na Pilipino mismo? Definitely, it cannot go on this way,' Escudero had said. (If we banned POGO that is connected with foreign gambling, shouldn't we prohibit gambling among Filipinos themselves all the more? Definitely, it cannot go on this way.) 'Three bills or four bills have been filed to either ban or regulate Philippine inland gaming. We will pursue those bills and make sure that they lead to a floor debate and plenary vote on the matter,' he added. Senator JV Ejercito, meanwhile, urged the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, e-wallet companies and other financial service providers to immediately cut off access to online gambling platforms and plug loopholes being exploited by operators. Ejercito said the BSP can issue a circular imposing stricter regulations on these platforms to prevent minors from accessing online gambling. Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) executive director Gilbert Cruz, however, said there are currently no reports of POGOs that have rebranded as PIGOs. 'Hindi naman. Magkaiba naman 'yun. 'Yung isa offshore, 'yung isa domestic,' he told GMA News Online. (Not really. Those are different things. One is offshore and one is domestic.) He said authorities are still looking into whether PIGOs will also be completely banned or only regulated. For its part, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said that the government is continuously studying PIGO operations. "Pinagkumpara po ngayon kung ano iyong nangyari sa POGO at saka sa PIGO. Sa POGO, kaya po siya na-ban/total ban, dahil marami pong nangyayaring krimen because of the POGO. Pero as of now, lumalabas po sa pag-aaral ay hindi po ito nakakagawa ng krimen—hindi siya nagiging cause or hindi siya iyong nagiging dahilan, iyong PIGO, para makagawa ng krimen," she said. (What happened to POGO is being compared with PIGO. POGO was totally banned because of the crimes related to it. But as now, it was revealed in a study that PIGO is not related to crimes, it is not the cause or does not lead to the commission of any crime.) Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) described online gambling as a serious moral issue disguised as entertainment and technology. 'Sa pagsusugal ang konsensiya ay unti-unting nagiging manhid. Tinuturuan tayong isipin na ito ay normal, pampasaya, o wala namang masama,' CBCP said. (With gambling, the conscience gradually becomes numb. We are taught to think that it is normal, fun, or that there is nothing wrong with it.) Calling it 'bagong salot' or new plague, the Filipino bishops noted that online gambling has become a public health crisis that not only destroys a person but also a family's relationship. 'Hindi natin matiis na manahimik sapagkat ang pagkasugapa at ang pagiging talamak ng sugal ay salot, isang virus na sumisira at pumapatay sa mga indibidwal, pamilya at lipunan,' CBCP said. (We cannot afford to remain silent because addiction and the prevalence of gambling are a plague, a virus that destroys and kills individuals, families and societies.) The prelates also urged the government to impose appropriate regulations on online payment systems to restrict the public, especially the youth, from using them for online gambling. 'Nais naming magpa-alala na tayo'y makakaalpas sa pagkaalipin sa pamamagitan ng marangal na trabaho, at sa patuloy na pagtahak ng landas ng katotohanan, kabutihan, katarungan, at higit sa lahat sa biyaya ng Diyos,' CBCP said. (We remind everyone that we can break free from addiction through honest work, by continuing to walk the path of truth, goodness, and justice — and above all, the grace of God.) —LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
21-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Escudero on online gambling: It cannot go on this way
Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Monday committed that the proposed Senate measures seeking either a total ban or strict regulation of online gambling in the Philippines will be discussed in plenary. 'Kung ipinagbawal nga natin ang POGO kaugnay ng pagsusugal ng dayuhan, hindi ba dapat lalo 'yung pagsusugal na Pilipino mismo? Definitely, it cannot go on this way,' Escudero said in an ambush interview. (If we banned POGO that is connected with foreign gambling, shouldn't we prohibit gambling among Filipinos themselves all the more? Definitely, it cannot go on this way.) 'Three bills or four bills have been filed to either ban or regulate Philippine inland gaming. We will pursue those bills and make sure that they lead to a floor debate and plenary vote on the matter,' he added. In March, Escudero called for a review of Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (PIGOs), expressing concerns over their impact on Filipinos following the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). He warned that while POGOs have been shut down, some may have simply rebranded as PIGOs to continue operations. He thus urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to conduct a thorough and transparent review of PIGOs to assess their true costs and benefits. Several lawmakers have included in their priority bills for the 20th Congress the legislation for the total ban of online gambling in the country, while some are only pushing for restricting access to it. As for the Executive, Malacañang said that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will study the calls to ban online gambling. ''Ang mga pagpapasyang ganito po ay talagang pinag-aaralan kung ito ba'y makakaapekto sa ekonomiya, makaapekto sa mamamayan at hindi po tayo maaring magpadalos-dalos po dito,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said. (Decisions like this are being studied to see if they will affect the economy, affect the people, and we cannot rush this.) ''Dahil minsan po, kapag po mismo ang legal at license ng mga online gaming sites ang iyong iba-ban, mas dumadami ang mga illegal na online gaming sites at iyan po ay mas nakakaapekto sa ekonomiya, so pinag-aaralan po iyan ng Pangulo,'' she added. (Because sometimes, when you ban legal and licensed online gaming sites, the number of illegal online gaming sites increases and that has a greater impact on the economy, so the President is studying that.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Palace downplays China's study abroad alert
Malacañang sought to allay concerns over the Philippines' security situation after China issued a study abroad alert, warning its citizens of alleged rising crimes targeting Chinese nationals in the country. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Marcos administration remains committed to maintaining peace and order. 'As far as the government is concerned, we know that crime rates in the Philippines are improving and declining. This is due to the directive of the President,' Castro said on Friday. The statement came after China's Ministry of Education cautioned Chinese students planning to study in the Philippines, claiming the country has been in a 'state of insecurity' with reported crimes involving Chinese nationals. The ministry urged students to assess risks carefully and remain vigilant. While the Palace respects China's prerogative to issue travel advisories, Castro said the Philippines continues to be a safe destination for foreigners. She also cited the country's improved ranking in the 2025 Global Peace Index, where the Philippines moved up six notches to 105th out of 163 countries. Castro emphasized that the government is committed to ensuring the safety of all nationals in the country, regardless of citizenship. She also clarified that the Chinese nationals who were recently deported had been involved in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs). 'Whether Filipino or foreigner, regardless of nationality, everyone is guaranteed protection,' she said, adding that recent deportations of Chinese nationals involved individuals engaged in illegal offshore gaming activities. In April, the Palace also denied claims of harassment against foreigners in the Philippines, following a similar travel warning from Beijing.
GMA Network
09-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Nearly 4,000 foreign workers deported, 500 in custody after ‘intensified' POGO crackdown — PAOCC
Nearly 4,000 foreign workers have been deported and several major hubs dismantled, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) as a result of the government's 'intensified' campaign against illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). At a public briefing on Wednesday, Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, PAOCC executive director, said coordinated raids with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Department of Justice (DOJ) have led to the closure of large POGO compounds, including those linked to controversial figure Alice Guo in Pampanga and Cebu. 'Yung mga malalaki pong POGO hubs, the likes of the POGO hubs nila Alice Guo sa Porac at Cebu, napasara na po natin yan,' Cruz said. (We have already shut down large POGO hubs, including those linked to Alice Guo in Porac and Cebu.) The majority of those arrested were foreign citizens involved in alleged criminal activities such as human trafficking, scamming and illegal detention within these POGO facilities. Cruz said 4,000 have already been deported, with another 500 are still in PAOCC custody. In one landmark case involving a POGO hub in Clark, Pampanga, the Philippine government won in court and was awarded assets worth ?6 billion and seized cash amounting to ?185 million, Cruz added. While large-scale hubs have been shut down, Cruz warned that 'guerrilla-style' POGO operations have sprung up in condominiums, private subdivisions, and even remote resorts, operating under the radar of authorities. 'Nag-form sila ng mga small groups… ngayon sila nag-ooperate sa mga condominiums, gated subdivisions, at minsan, sa mga resorts,' he said. (They formed smaller groups… now they operate in condominiums, gated subdivisions, and sometimes in resorts.) In his third State of the Nation Address in July 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. banned all POGOs in the country after several of these were implicated in crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams. — RF, GMA Integrated News
Filipino Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Gatchalian urges crackdown as Pakistan emerges as new transit point for human trafficking
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday expressed serious concern over reports identifying Pakistan as a new transit hub being exploited by human trafficking syndicates to facilitate the illegal deployment of Filipinos abroad. The senator urged the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and other law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts in dismantling criminal networks operating across international routes. 'Reports indicating Pakistan as a new human trafficking route are deeply alarming. The government must act swiftly to put an end to human trafficking,' Gatchalian said in a statement. He also warned that individuals formerly linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) may be behind the illegal operations. 'Malamang na mga taong dating sangkot sa POGO ang gumagawa ng ganitong kriminalidad na nambibiktima ng mga walang malay nating kababayan,' the senator added. The senator's remarks came after four Filipinos were intercepted at NAIA Terminal 3 on July 6 while attempting to fly to Pakistan, where they had been recruited to work as cleaners and a cook in an online gaming compound. The Bureau of Immigration described the incident as a 'dangerous shift in trafficking patterns similar to POGO-like operations.'
