MANILA: The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a stern warning to foreign workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry who remain in the Philippines despite a nationwide ban that took effect on December 31, 2024. The DOJ emphasized the potential for severe legal repercussions for those who do not comply with the ban.

According to Philippines News Agency, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed the government’s firm stance against POGOs, following a report from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) that approximately 11,000 foreign POGO workers are still in the country. These workers have either failed to voluntarily downgrade their visas or leave the Philippines, or they have downgraded their visas but did not comply with the set deadline.

In response, the Bureau of Immigration has intensified its efforts to identify and deport these foreign workers. Secretary Remulla reiterated the administration’s commitment to enforcing the ban, stating, “The President is unequivocally clear that POGOs have no place here in the Philippines and we vow to give our all-out support for the sake and welfare of the Filipino people.”

The administration has pledged to continue its rigorous operations against non-compliant POGO entities and workers. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had announced the ban during his third State of the Nation Address in July of the previous year. The decision to phase out POGOs was influenced by the industry’s association with serious criminal activities, including human trafficking, prostitution, abduction, and murder.