DoLE ready to help 22K Pinoys employed by legitimate POGOs if ban pushes through

Source: The Manila times
Author: William B. Depasupil

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has done its profiling and is ready to provide the necessary intervention to the estimated 22,000 Filipino workers employed by legitimate Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) if plans to totally ban these companies' operations will push through.

Labor Secretary Bievenido Laguesma on Thursday said that the majority of the Filipino workers were employed by Metro Manila-based overseas internet gaming corporations accredited by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.(Pagcor).

Laguesma said that the profiling done by the DoLE-National Capital Region was meant to determine the workers individual qualifications and expertise in relation to the available job vacancies.

Through profiling, he added, the DoLE would match the worker's capability and be able to determine if one needed upskilling or retooling.

"So if ever they would be separated from their company, we can facilitate their employment to a projected employer," Laguesma said.

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He also said that the primary concern of the labor department are the Filipino workers as foreign workers need to secure first an alien employment permit (AEP) before they can work in the Philippines.

Laguesma said that the AEP can only be issued to a foreigner seeking admission to the Philippines for work after it has been determined that a competent and able Filipino citizen is unavailable or unwilling, at the time of application, to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired,

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Asked about his position on the total ban of POGOs, Laguesma refused to give a categorical answer but said that as a rule, the labor department was for the preservation of employment and the generation of more jobs.

"Bottom line is we wanted to ensure that workers that would be affected [if POGOs are totally banned] would be given assistance and guidance by the DoLE," he added.

At present, the DoLE chief said licensed POGO operators were no more than 50 after Pagcor did not renew the permits of more or less 250 internet gaming firms.

He also mentioned that from January to April 2024, DoLE has issued a total of 8,000 AEPs to foreigners, mostly Vietnamese, followed by Chinese, Indonesian and Thailanders, among others.