With just over ten days left until the deadline set by the POGO ban, what is the current situation in the Philippines?
First, let's talk about the Philippine government's enforcement of the ban.
The Philippine government has announced that on December 15, it will officially revoke the licenses of all offshore gaming operators (POGOs), prohibiting their operations nationwide.
Gilbert Cruz, the executive director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), revealed that by the end of November, 53,700 POGO employment permits had been canceled, 18 internet gambling companies had voluntarily shut down, and 27 were in the process of ceasing operations. Additionally, over 2,300 illegal POGO foreign workers have been deported, most of whom are Chinese nationals.
PAOCC stated that they will work with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to strictly monitor the gradual shutdown of POGO operations.
The government has made it clear that from January 2024, all POGOs and related businesses, including those claiming to be legitimate business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, will no longer be allowed to operate.
Currently, the Philippine government is firmly advancing the ban.
Now, basically, the big companies have been caught or dispersed, and there are only small targets left, but the Philippine government obviously does not want to let these people go easily. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated a few days ago that illegal gambling activities threaten national security and social order and must be thoroughly eradicated. He emphasized that local governments and law enforcement agencies need to strengthen coordination to prevent small-scale illegal activities from hiding in resorts, apartments, and other concealed locations.
Recently, the Philippine government has launched multiple joint operations. On December 12, the Bureau of Immigration and the Subic Bay Management Authority arrested six undocumented Chinese nationals in a villa in Subic. Only one of them could present a passport. Then these six were taken to the headquarters of the Bureau of Immigration in Manila for detention, waiting for case processing.
In addition to arrests, the POGO ban extends to many aspects.
For example, among the Filipino-Chinese community, the verification actions against Chinese citizens have significantly increased, and there have even been cases of fake police extortion. A netizen revealed that on the 13th and 14th, they were stopped by corrupt police for allegedly not following traffic rules, demanding a fine, and asking for all the money in the netizen's bag.
This is clearly a trap! If it weren't for the netizen's dignified response, giving the other party a way out, who knows what would have happened.
A neighboring netizen was not so lucky. They were about to go eat Japanese food near RCBC when they were spotted by the police, who demanded identification. The netizen offered to go back to their room to get it, but the officer did not allow it. In one sentence: either pay 100,000 P or be taken to the police station. In the end, they went to a nearby store, exchanged U for pesos, and gave it to the officer, who then let them go.
That is to say, land, houses, electronic equipment, and equipment inside will all be confiscated.
It is estimated that the assets of the offshore gaming companies previously located in Banban, Tarlac, and Bongabon, Nueva Ecija will soon be liquidated and confiscated.
Moreover, the amendment to the Philippines' "Anti-Financial Account and Fraud Law" actually allows authorities to use confiscated properties to compensate victims of online gambling groups, according to Senator Risa Hontiveros, and the details are about to be announced.
What's more fatal is that at this critical juncture, the ALO inspection list has been leaked. It is known that personnel who depart the country within the specified deadline as required can avoid entering the BLO (blacklist), retaining the right to return to the Philippines in the future. If they do not depart on time, they will automatically be transferred to the BLO, and entry into the Philippines will be prohibited.
On the 5th and 15th, two waves of lists were leaked, involving tens of thousands of people, including over 1,000 Chinese! This has added a touch of horror to an already tense atmosphere!
Surprisingly, despite the vigorous crackdown on POGOs, it has not affected the smooth operation of PAGCOR at all!
According to PAGCOR's estimates, gambling revenue in 2024 will reach 350 billion Philippine pesos, setting a historical high. Tengo, with electronic games and offline casinos in hand, is not so anxious, and has happily signed a new headquarters lease agreement with Pase!
However, in stark contrast, the Philippine government's lack of transparency in handling confidential funds and administrative corruption has intensified public concerns about the country's future development.
During this period, Vice President Sara has been caught up in the issue of secret funds, and the media has disclosed that of the 1,992 beneficiaries on her list, only 670 could be matched with existing records. Many people have no birth, marriage, or death records. So, where are these "missing payees"? Perhaps they are non-existent? Perhaps they are a cover for embezzlement?
Sara's response to this was simple: she does not want to explain.
"The nature of confidential funds is to support operations involving intelligence and national security, so it is obviously contrary to the purpose of establishing such funds to publicly explain their use. I will not provide any further explanations to members of the House of Representatives or other institutions."
Regardless of whether this move is part of the political struggle in the Philippines, what can be confirmed is that under the economic downturn, soaring prices, and the widening gap between the rich and the poor, even the usually optimistic Filipinos are not so optimistic anymore!
According to a survey, the satisfaction of the Philippine public with the national situation continues to decline, with only 31% of respondents believing that the country is in a good state, significantly down from 45% last year and 36% last quarter. At the same time, only 42% believe that the country is moving in the right direction, a ratio lower than last year's 66% and last quarter's 50%.
Looking at these percentages, it's getting worse each time.
Whether the POGO ban can truly improve the social environment or merely serve as a facade to cover up bigger issues remains to be observed.
After this policy turning point, will the Philippines become better? Time will give us the answer!
