Philippine House panel approves POGOs ban
A panel of the House of Representatives has approved House Bill 5082 and House Resolution 1197.
The Philippines.- The House of Representatives Committee on Games and Amusements has approved two measures, House Bill 5082 and Resolution 1197, which seek to ban offshore gambling operators.
Rufus Rodriguez, author of HR 1197 and representative of the 2nd district of Cagayan de Oro City, and Manila representative Bienvenido Abante Jr., who filed HB 5082, thanked the committee, which is chaired by the congressman of the 6th district of Cavite Antonio Ferrer.
Rodriguez claims that POGOs, despite contributing revenue to the country, are primarily used to carry out illegal activities such as money laundering, illegal immigration and employment, kidnapping and other crimes. He said that in the first six months of 2023, the Philippine National Police recorded 4,039 victims in four POGO-related crimes.
However, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco has conveyed the regulator’s willingness to support the continuity of POGOs. In January, Tengco underscored the employment opportunities provided by the sector, employing close to 70,000 Filipinos, and the sector’s role in the property sector, occupying 625,000 square meters of office space.
