Philippine gaming regulator PAGCOR has approved a Php50 million (US$888,000) grant to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to fund the ongoing deportation of foreign workers previously employed by illegal offshore gaming operators, or POGOs, it revealed Tuesday.
In a statement, the regulator said it had signed a Memorandum of Agreement signed on 30 June in relation to the funding, which will be released in two tranches of Php25 million (US$444,000) each. The first tranche was disbursed during the ceremonial signing.
“These individuals are unable to return to their home countries because they cannot afford a plane ticket,” said PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco, referencing former POGO workers currently held at the BI Warden Facility and Protection Unit. “This grant will ensure they receive assistance in accordance with international laws and humanitarian considerations.”
Tengco added that his agency wants to ensure a clean, legitimate\ and socially responsible gaming industry in the Philippines.
“PAGCOR has been continuously collaborating with the BI in enforcing the government’s ban on offshore gaming operations, following President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr’s directive last year,” he said.
“This inter-agency effort is not just about sending people home; it also ensures that only legitimate gaming operations are allowed in our country.”
