11 POGOs allowed to resume operations
11 operators have been given the green light by PAGCOR and the BIR.
Philippines.- The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has cleared 11 Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) to resume operations following Covid-19 lockdown measures.
Restrictions began to ease for POGOs in May, and since then 11 have obtained an Authority to Resume Operations (ARO).
This means the companies have the approval of PAGCOR and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to restart operations.
POGOs have attracted criticism during the Covid-19 crisis, with fiscal authorities demanding they pay over P50 billion (about US$997 million) in unpaid taxes.
Several initiatives in the Philippine Congress aim to use the money to fund Covid-19 response programmes.
The STAR reported today that at least five POGOs and ten local service providers have closed down in recent weeks because of the inability to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
