THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) encourages foreign nationals employed by the outlawed Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) to present themselves to government authorities, rest-assured that they will not be incarcerated, but assisted instead to be repatriated.
A government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated that this approach would motivate foreign POGO workers to voluntarily turn themselves in, with the assurance that they would be allowed to depart the country within a specified timeframe, enabling them to buy their tickets and prepare for the trip.
The BI said there are more than 11,000 POGO foreign employees who have not left the country as of Dec. 31, the deadline for the nationwide ban on POGOs.
According to BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval, 22,609 out of 33,863 Pogo workers left the country last year. But more than 11,000 defied the deadline and are now considered “illegal aliens” who can be arrested and deported.
Last Nov. 5, President Marcos issued Executive Order Nol. 74 ultimately banning POGOs and internet gaming in the country.
The ban was prompted by a rise in criminal activities, social unrest, and the exploitation of individuals employed by POGOs.
Meanwhile, the BI expressed apprehension regarding the increasing number of Filipinos leaving to work in illicit online gaming hubs abroad.
Sandoval said approximately 118 Filipinos have been recruited to work in “scam hubs” abroad posing as business process outsourcing (BPO) firms.
“We have observed a trend in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. These are some of the countries that our fellow citizens visit, and we have noticed that they have operations similar to POGO. However, this is not confined to these nations,” she said.
