Majority of POGO Hubs Closed Down, Small-Scale Operations Under Surveillance

In a significant crackdown on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), approximately 80% of the 400 hubs have been shut down across the country. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) reported that the remaining operators have shifted to a ‘guerilla’ mode to evade the total ban. PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz highlighted during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program that small-scale POGO activities are now being closely monitored in regions such as Northern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Bureau of Immigration has deported around 27,000 out of the 40,000 POGO workers in the Philippines. Some operators from the POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, managed to flee and continue their illegal operations, predominantly in the Visayas. These small-scale POGOs typically consist of 20 to 50 people operating from rented spaces like apartments or resorts, engaging in scamming activities. Cruz noted that the PAOCC is particularly focusing on the Visayas due to reports of POGO operators relocating there. He also mentioned that these small-scale operations are often found in smaller settings such as gated communities or subdivisions. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. believes that POGOs cannot operate without the complicity of local government officials, particularly at the village level. Indicators of POGO operations include a sudden increase in foreign nationals and food deliveries in areas like private resorts. Cruz explained that POGOs require internet connectivity, computers, and foreign nationals to guide their operations, with Filipinos often serving as keyboard operators. Legal actions have been initiated against local officials for negligence in managing POGO activities within their areas. In his third State of the Nation Address, Marcos declared a nationwide ban on all POGOs, aiming for a complete phaseout by the end of 2024, due to associated crimes like human trafficking and murder. Executive Order 74, signed by Marcos on November 4 of the previous year, immediately banned all offshore and Internet gaming operations in the country.