POGO Go On!

John Patrick Antor

Despite strict measures caused by the Enhanced Community Quarantine due to the widespread of COVID-19 in Luzon, the operation of POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) will now recommence. The government's COVID-19 task force has allowed POGOs to resume partial operations, as per the confirmation of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on May 1, 2020. Roque said that online gambling services are part of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, which are allowed to open under the new quarantine rules set by the government. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) said POGOs employ 31,556 Filipinos but only 30% of the total number of employees are allowed to work under the skeleton workforce system.

There are around 60 POGOs, and most of which are expected to resume operations as early as May 4, 2020, once all the requirements are complied. POGOs are online gambling firms which operate in the Philippines but cater to customers outside the country. To operate legally they must be licensed by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo convinced the government officials to allow POGOs to reopen, arguing that revenues from POGOs can be a significant source of funds for the government’s COVID-19 response. According to PAGCOR, the partial opening of POGOs will create ripples in economic activity, such as the real estate industry which has earned approximately P25 billion on leaseholds and rentals alone, because POGOs occupy approximately 1,000,000 square-meter of office space.

Aside from that, POGOs contributed P5.7 billion in 2019 and P1.8 billion in the 1st quarter of 2020. However, the industry also brings big troubles because it is infiltrated by issues linked to tax evasion, money laundering, sex trafficking, and kidnapping which sound unpleasant.

I agree with PAGCOR’s statement that POGO resumption is really essential because it will generate revenues, it will create jobs and our economy can now slowly recover. Yes, we need money in order to have funds for us to sustain the immediate and long term needs of our nation especially because we are encountering a crisis that cripples our economy but if the POGOs resume operation, it might contribute to the widespread of the coronavirus.

Progressive mass testing must be fully implemented first in the whole archipelago for us to know the exact number of infected citizens and then the people who test positive must be isolated in huge quarantine facilities to avoid contagion.

Take a good look at South Korea which managed to curb the spread without taking measures that were too severe like the lockdown. It was initially one of the hardest-hit with the second-highest number of cases globally, but now this country continues to recover and is slowly going back to normal because they have implemented the mass testing. They even created ‘drive-thru testing facilities’ just to ensure that all citizens will be tested. If we don’t do the same or at least adopt some of their strategies to combat the spread of the deadly disease, the threat in spreading COVID-19 among the POGO workers lives on.