Philippines legislators urged to fast-track bill to ban offshore gaming operators

The Senate speaker has called for a ban by December.

The Philippines.- Senate speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has directed the House leadership and key Secretariat officials to develop and approve legislation to enforce president Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ban offshore gaming operators (previously known as POGOs). The aim is to implement the measure by December.

Romualdez also ordered the continuation of the congressional investigation into criminal syndicates associated with gaming. Several House bills and resolutions are already pending before the House Committee on Games and Amusements. These include House Bill (HB) 5082, filed by Manila representative Bienvenido Abante Jr., and HB 10525, filed by Makabayan bloc reps France Castro, Arlene Brosas and Raoul Danniel Manuel.

Other pending measures include House Resolution (HR) 503 filed by Rizal rep. Juan Fidel Nograles, HR 1197 filed by Cagayan de Oro City rep. Rufus Rodriguez, HR 1524 and a privilege speech by OFW Partylist rep. Marissa Magsino. Romualdez urged the relevant committees to prioritise and harmonise these measures and produce a substitute bill acceptable to all stakeholders.

See also: Offshore gaming ban to hit politicians, Philippine representative says

DOLE working on measures to support affected workers 

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has begun profiling the Filipino workers who will be affected by the ban. Labor secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said initial estimates indicate around 10,000 workers might be impacted. According to The Philippines News Agency, the DOLE plans to hold job fairs and offer training programmes to assist workers in transitioning to new employment.