Gov’t profiling POGO workers who may go jobless - labor chief

Metro Manila, Philippines— The government is profiling workers who may lose their jobs because of the order to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs, the labor chief said.

In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the Department of Labor and Employment has programs to assist POGO workers.

“Nakalatag ang mga programa namin, palalakasin lamang tulad ng probisyon para sa temporary emergency employment in transitioning to a more a permanent job, we also have provision for livelihood,” said Laguesma.

[Translation: Our programs are in place. We will just strengthen them like the provision for temporary emergency employment in transitioning to a more permanent job. We also have provision for livelihood.]

Laguesma said the agency is checking if the workers may need additional training or upskilling.

“Sa ginagawa naming profiling ngayon, makikita namin if kailangan ba ng re-training or upskilling so ma-match sila sa mga available na trabaho particularly sa IT at business process outsourcing industry,” he said.

[Translation: With our current profiling efforts, we will see if re-training or upskilling is needed so they can be matched with available jobs, particularly in the IT and business process outsourcing industry]

He added that most POGO workers are encoders.

“Meron din silang staff na administrative workers, finance, HR, utility and maintenance personnel, but majority is encoders,” said Laguesma.

[Translation: They also have staff who are administrative workers, finance, HR, utility, and maintenance personnel, but the majority are encoders.]

Laguesma said that out of the 79 internet gaming licenses, 34 POGO firms in Metro Manila submitted a list of their workers.

The workers totaled around 14,000. The labor chief said more than half or 54% of Filipino POGO workers are female.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. did not mince words in ordering the ban on POGOs in his State of the Nation Address on July 22.

“Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into illicit areas furthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture– even murder. The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop,” he said.