The Bureau of Immigration reported several big groups of foreigners who used to work at Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators leaving the country ahead of the December 31 deadline for them to leave the country.
“In the past few days po, may mga na-monitor tayo ng mga ganito big groups of foreign nationals that were leaving, [who] used to be working in online gaming companies. Siguro ngayon, yung last day, siguro a few thousand na lang yung natitira,” BI Spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.
(In the past few days, we have monitored big groups of foreign nationals that were leaving, [who] used to be working in online gaming companies. I guess now, on the last day, only a few thousand are left.)
“Wala na pong extension, (There are no more extensions,) no extensions for this deadline. Anyone who will be left in the country after the December 31 deadline will be blacklisted and deported from the Philippines,” she added.
Sandoval said that foreigners who worked in legal POGOs and voluntarily left the Philippines may return to the country.
“Kung mayroon silang legitimate reasons to come back to the Philippines, kagaya po ng ibang naririnig natin na meron na mga pamilya dito sa Pilipinas, then they may do so po. Maaari po silang i-consider pagbalik po dito sa Pilipinas, dahil hindi sila blacklisted,” she said.
(If they have legitimate reasons to come back to the Philippines, like the other cases we’ve heard where they already have families in the Philippines, then they may do so. They may consider returning to the Philippines because they aren’t blacklisted.)
Meanwhile, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said that there were still small-scale POGOs operating in the country despite the cancellation of all POGO licenses last December 15.
PAOCC shared that they will continue their POGO raids in January and will prioritize POGOs hiding out in resorts.
“Minsan uupahan nila yung buong resort. O-offeran nila ng malaking amount yung may-ari at uupahan nila ng six months hanggang one year. ‘Yan ang mga nasa priority list natin,” said PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz.
(Sometimes they rent out the entire resort. They offer a large amount to the owners and rent it for six months to a year. That is what’s on our priority list.)
They also intend to look into areas where local officials have reported suspicious activity pointing to POGOs.
“Meron sa North, meron din dito sa Region 4A kasi nakakakita sila ng mga dala-dalang isang truck na computer, may mga gamit, tapos may mga cables. Tapos, ang pinalalabas sa kanila is magtatayo ng mga call centers pero actually wala namang pinapakita mga permits. So, nagtatanong sa atin yung mga local government officials kung paano ang dapat gawin,” Cruz said.
(There’s some in the North, there’s also some in Region 4A because they saw a truck carrying computers, other items and cables. Then what they are saying is that they will be establishing call centers, but they actually show no permits. So, local government officials are asking us what they should do.) —Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/NB, GMA Integrated News
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