Philippines DOLE to hold another job fair for former offshore gaming workers
The job fair will be held in November.
The Philippines.- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has announced a new job fair for workers who have been displaced from internet gaming licensees (IGLs), previously known as Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). DOLE secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said the job fair will be held in the second or third week of November.
The location has not been disclosed, but Laguesma said it will be situated near offshore gaming operator hubs to serve affected workers. He said the department is profiling displaced workers to evaluate their skills, job history, and income to customise the support services provided. He said that at a previous fair in Parañaque City on October 10, 340 job seekers registered, resulting in 33 immediate hires.
The DOLE is also enhancing its information-sharing initiatives and working with the Department of Migrant Workers to explore overseas job prospects for those impacted. It has been estimated that 40,962 Filipino workers will be affected by the closure of offshore gaming operators by the end of the year.
Justice secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has said that over 5,000 foreign workers employed by offshore gaming operators have not filed for a downgrade of their visas. The deadline to downgrade voluntarily was October 15, which means the visas will now be changed to tourist visas automatically, allowing holders to stay in the Philippines for a maximum of 59 days.
Remulla said offshore gaming workers are no longer allowed to conduct any activities except for winding down. “The winding down is crucial because their business involves managing funds in e-wallets used for betting,” he said.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) previously warned that if workers did not leave the country before December 31, it would commence deportation proceedings. The BI had reported that by October 15, 12,000 foreign offshore gaming workers voluntarily applied for the downgrade of their visas.
Illegal gambling in the Philippines: 8 arrested in raids
Earlier this week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) along with the BI and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested eight people allegedly linked to offshore gaming operators in two raids in Muntinlupa City.
According to the DOJ, the first raid resulted in the arrest of three Chinese people. It was carried out at the alleged residence of a boss from an offshore gaming operator facility in Porac, Pampanga. Two Chinese nationals were found to be overstaying in the Philippines, while another could not present travel documents. Police seized a computer and say they found a voice-over IP possibly used in telephone scams.
The second raid was carried out on another house and resulted in the arrest of four Chinese people and a Vietnamese person. Four failed to present travel documents.
