Over 3,000 POGO workers leave the Philippines following visa downgrade???

Jenny Ortiz September 30, 2024

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Over 3,000 POGO workers leave the Philippines following visa downgrade???

The Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) has fast-tracked the departure process for foreign workers employed by Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). More than 3,000 POGO workers have already left the country after their visas were downgraded.

In a statement, BI Officer-in-Charge Commissioner Joel Anthony Viad said the bureau has formed teams to personally go to POGO and Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) companies and implement their downgrading on-the-spot.???

“During the meeting, members agreed to conduct service days for POGO companies, where we will implement their downgraded visa status and issue exit clearances,” Viado said. The expedited visa downgrades were implemented after an inter-agency meeting that involved the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and other key government bodies.??

Visa downgrade and exit deadlines

According to the BI, foreign workers employed by POGOs have been given until October 15, 2024, to voluntarily downgrade their visas. Failure to do so will result in their deportation if they do not leave the country within 59 days. As of September 24, the BI has downgraded 5,955 visas, with 55 percent of those workers — approximately 3,275 individuals — already exiting the Philippines.??

The Philippine government has been taking a firm stance on the issue of illegal POGO activities, especially following reports of unlawful operations, including kidnapping, human trafficking, and torture in areas such as Bamban, Tarlac, and Porac, Pampanga.??

POGO ban rooted in unlawful activities

In his July 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for a total ban on POGOs as a response to the widespread illegal activities linked to online gambling hubs. The government aims to remove all POGO operations from the country, prioritising the safety and welfare of both foreign and local citizens, by end of the year.???

Crackdown on fugitive foreigners??

In related developments, the BI also reported the recent arrest of two South Korean fugitives attempting to extend their tourist visas in Manila. The fugitives, Lee Wonwoong, 33, and Huh Hwan, 60, were intercepted by immigration officials during routine checks. Lee is accused of operating illegal gambling establishments in South Korea, while Huh faces multiple fraud charges. Both individuals were detained at a BI facility in Taguig, pending deportation.??

This latest crackdown is part of the Philippine government’s broader effort to address illegal activities associated with POGOs and other foreign workers in the country.?