POGOs allowed to resume operations with comply the four requirements

In early May 2020, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) announced that the country’s Offshore Gaming Operators(POGOs) industry will be authorized to resume partial operations. According to a press release issued by PAGCOR, as long as POGO operators comply with the ECQ guidelines, they can resume partial  operations. The PAGCOR’s chairman Andrea Domingo said that the main reason for lifted restrictions on the industry is that they hope to bring more revenue to the government, which will help the government fight the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

But regulators have pointed out that before the POGO industry resumes operations, they must comply with the four requirements. First, update and settle its tax liabilities to the country’s Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); second, pay its unpaid PAGCOR fees; third, pay the April supervisory fees; and lastly, the operator must pass preparations for the implementation of a security agreement . PAGCOR hopes to comply with other safety agreements during ECQ, including: only 30% of employees can enter the office, and the company must provide shuttle services for employees. In addition, all protective measures for epidemic prevention standards need to be reached, including: maintaining social distancing and temperature checks.

Of course, the most important thing is that employees who have tested positive for the Covid-19, as well as employees who are physically weak, are not allowed to report for work. All employees must undergo the Covid-19 test before getting back to work. Andrea Domingo emphasized that even if the POGO industry resumes partial operations, they still value the safety of employees and the entire gambling industry. Despite understanding the industry’s enormous contribution to the Philippine economy and its huge capabilities as a source of funding during difficult times. But regulators must still take extra precautions to strike a balance between health and economic benefits.

Before the opponents voice out, PAGCOR authorizes the POGOs to resume the industry’s operation, hoping to see potential revenue from the regulatory fees, including the P1.8 billion (approximately USD35.7 million) charged in the first quarter of 2020. The news of the reopening of the POGOs industry is not good news for the country’s senator Risa Hontiveros. Because he has already stated that the POGOs industry should be abolished. The reason he advocates is that the trouble caused by the industry is greater than the value that it should provide. Not only that, the benefits for Filipinos are far less than the workers from China.