All POGOs banned | The Manila Times

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(UPDATES) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered a total ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), saying these firms have veered away from offering online gambling services to venturing into “illicit” practices.

During his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to “wind down and cease the operation of POGOs by the end of the year.”

“Effective today, all POGOs are banned,” Marcos said at the tail-end of his hour-and-a-half SONA, drawing a standing ovation from the audience.

ANNUAL REPORT President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives on July 22, 2024. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

“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 declared.

The President ordered the Department of Labor and Employment, in coordination with the administration’s economic managers, to use the time “between now and then” to find new jobs for Filipinos who will be displaced.

“This will solve many of the problems that we are encountering. It will solve many of the problems that we have been encountering, but it will not solve all of them,” Marcos said.

“To solve all the problems that we have been suffering under, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government and, most of all, the citizenry, must always be vigilant, principled and think of the health of the nation,” he added.

Marcos recalled the words of the 19th-century philosopher John Stuart Mill: “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he cannot harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”

The President said Filipinos should fight wrong and evil.

“Let us always fight for right and good. Let us always love the Philippines; let us always love Filipinos,” he said.

Pressure on Marcos to ban POGOs has been increasing in recent months, especially after a Senate investigation exposed several other issues — from fake birth certificates being bought by foreign nationals to suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo being suspected as a Chinese spy.

At least six senators have called for a POGO ban, as have the Department of Finance (DoF) and the National Economic and Development Authority.

The DoF has said allowing POGOs to proliferate is costing the Philippines about P99.5 billion a year and damaging the country’s reputation.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the President’s order banning POGOs was a “huge success for the entire country.”

Former president Joseph Estrada kisses the hand of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on July 22, 2024. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN

The senator said that as chairman of the Senate Committee on Women, who led the investigation into the crimes linked to POGOs, she was “so happy” that the President has decided to ban them.

She said POGOs have brought innumerable and unspeakable social ills into the country.

“I commend the President for his resolute pronouncement,” Hontiveros said. “And to all POGOs — legal or illegal — goodbye,” she said.

Sen. Joel Villanueva said, “We thank the President for heeding the people’s voices, for carefully analyzing sound data, and for concluding that POGOs have no rightful place in our society.”

Lawmakers, former presidents, law enforcement officials and other VIP’s are seen arriving at the South Wing red carpet entrance of the House of Representatives during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Quezon City, on July 22, 2024.
PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO

“Our Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability. We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said she was not surprised by the ban, considering it had been recommended by Finance Secretary Ralph Recto.

“But that is welcome,” Castro said.

Citing the “social costs,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said it was “about time” for the total POGO ban.

“While it is a law enforcement issue,… it is a national security concern,” Año said.

Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda, who has spoken in favor of POGOs, said he would just have to look for funds to offset revenues that will be lost to the ban. Salceda is chairman of the House Committee of Ways and Means.

Asked about the total ban on POGOs, former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Marcos “knows best.”

She added: “He’s the one who knows the situation.”

“In my district, it’s a very popular decision,” she said.

Speaker Martin Romualdez opens the third regular session of the 19th Congress ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on July 22, 2024. PHOTOS BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE

Speaker Martin Romualdez lauded the President’s decision to impose a total ban on POGOs.

“This bold move underscores the President’s commitment to lawful economic practices,” Romualdez said.

He added that the President’s order to find jobs for those who will be displaced “shows a compassionate approach to the transition.”

Inflation

Marcos also addressed the high prices of basic commodities in his SONA, saying that the Philippines was able to weather the different challenges it faced, especially economic challenges.

“In spite [of] the headwinds that we have faced, we stayed the course,” the President said. “The country exhibits healthy signs of post-pandemic resilience comparable to strong economies in our region.”

Senators with their spouses walk the red carpet and take the traditional ‘family’ photo during the convening of the third regular session of the 19th Congress at the Senate in Pasay City on July 22, 2024. PHOTOS BY MIKE ALQUINTO AND JESSE BUSTOS/SENATE

The President said the country’s poverty rate has significantly dropped to 15.5 percent, down from 18 percent in 2021. This figure is lower than the pre-pandemic level of 16.7 percent in 2018.

“We have lifted 2.5 million out of poverty,” Marcos said. “We will continue to strive to bring more people out of poverty.”

To sustain the country’s economic gains, Marcos said the government is promoting investment-led growth.

“We have set in motion policies and programs to create an environment conducive for businesses to thrive, like reforms in the capital markets and implementation of ‘green lanes,'” Marcos said.

“As a result, we have ‘green-lane certified’ around 100 projects with a total investment of about P3 trillion across the sectors of renewable energy, digital infrastructure, food security, and manufacturing,” he added.

Moreover, Marcos said the Philippine financial system remains robust and resilient.

He said that tax and non-tax revenue collection was efficient, in pace with the country’s rejuvenated economy.

“Notably, for the past two years, our GOCCs (government-owned and -controlled corporations) remitted dividends to the national government with a combined tally exceeding their contributions in 2022,” he said.

Salary adjustments

Marcos also announced a four-tranche salary increase for government workers as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing additional benefits for them.

He said the government has already allotted a budget for state workers’ pay hikes, adding that a medical allowance would also be added to their benefits.

“As for our government employees, they have a reliable medical allowance as an additional benefit next year,” Marcos said.

“And not only that. There is also an imminent increase in salary that they will get in four tranches. We have allocated funds for this starting this year and in the years to come,” he added.

Marcos further said his administration has extended the services of the job order and contract of service personnel working in government.

“This will also afford them ample opportunity to work on their civil service eligibility while gaining additional relevant experience and training to upgrade their employment qualifications,” he said.

The last time salaries of government workers were increased was in 2023, the fourth and last tranche of the Salary Standardization Law of 2019, which started in 2020.

4Ps

Marcos also announced that his administration proposed additional Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) benefits for mothers in the 2025 budget.

“Through this, a pregnant woman or a mother who is a 4Ps beneficiary will be given financial aid for her and her child. This aid will ensure that the infant will receive medical care, vaccines and adequate nutrition,” Marcos said.

“The proposed grant will be given to infants from the poorest families until they are 2 years old,” he added.

Marcos said that another component of his administration’s program against malnutrition is to tap the expertise of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) to develop nutritious food and drinks that can be provided to poor Filipinos.

“The DoST has been continuously undertaking scientific research to develop nutritious food and drinks, which can be integrated into the government’s feeding program,” Marcos said.

‘Mobile clinic’

Marcos also promised that mobile primary care clinics would be deployed in every province to extend health care services to people living outside Metro Manila.

The President said he aims that as soon as possible, all provinces will have enough centers or facilities that are capable of providing basic medical services to those who are in need.

“We will ensure that every single province will be given a mobile clinic so that the laboratory exam and some other basic medical services can be brought closer to our countrymen,” he said.

Malacañang earlier announced that 83 “Bagong Pilipinas” mobile clinics have been sent in various areas starting this month.

Each vehicle is equipped with modern medical equipment, such as digital X-ray machines and ultrasound machines, hematology analyzers, binocular microscopes, clinical centrifuges, ophthalmoscopes, and reagent refrigerators, among others.

The President’s wife, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, earlier distributed mobile facilities in seven provinces in Central Luzon.

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