Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 16) — Finance Sec. Benjamin Diokno has said he personally favors discontinuing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) in the country, arguing that its social risks outweigh the financial benefits.
As alleged abduction cases involving POGO workers continue to rise, senators on Thursday asked Diokno about his stand on POGO operations in the country. For one, Sen. Imee Marcos asked him if POGOs should be terminated like illegal e-sabong operations due to regulation failures.
The finance chief emphasized that revenue collection from POGOs dropped 46 percent to ₱3.9 billion in 2021 compared to its peak of ₱7.18 billion in 2020.
“If you ask my personal opinion on this, let’s discontinue with the POGO because of the social cost of the POGO,” he said during the briefing by the Development Budget Coordination Committee on the proposed 2023 national budget.
Diokno said the Philippines will have a bad reputation for hosting POGO operations. “People will ask why are they going to the Philippines, eh discontinue na sa [it was discontinued in] China, discontinue na sa [discontinued in] Cambodia, why are they going to the Philippines?” he said.
“Maybe because we are loose or we are not strict on our rules,” Diokno added. “So merong [There is a] reputational risk.”
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) earlier told lawmakers there is a mass exodus of POGO because of the higher taxes imposed by a law passed in September 2021.
Senators agreed that the financial benefits from allowing POGOs in the country are insignificant for the finance chief to want them to exit the country.
“This aspect of lawlessness we are giving to the rest of the word is not worth whatever we’re collecting, which appears quite meager,” Sen. Marcos said. Sen. Sonny Angara chimed in, “It must be meager for the finance secretary to say we no longer need it.”
Police data presented in a separate Senate hearing on Thursday showed 15 recent kidnapping cases are related to POGO, identifying the involvement of three POGO firms.
PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group Director Rodolfo Castil said they see the pirating of employees as motive for the crimes.
Senate Committee on Public Order Chairman Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said their formal report will include whether or not POGO operations should be suspended due to crimes being linked to these companies.
Interior Sec. Benhur Abalos warned that POGOs involved in illegal activities will be shut down.
