THOUSANDS OF POGO WORKERS TO BE AFFECTED BY UPCOMING BAN, DOLE


Over 27,000 workers employed in POGO firms will be affected by the total ban in the country (Photo courtesy of Philippine Star)
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said that around 27,000 Filipino workers will be affected by the total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) that will take effect by end-December.
Thousand former Pogo workers were from 54 internet gaming license companies in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas according to Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.
To be exact, 26,996, the total number of Filipino workers including Region 4-A, and there were also indirect Filipino workers totaling 2,549 in Pogo’s.
In the National Capital Region (NCR), a total of 19, 341 Filipino employees working under 48 internet gaming licensees (IGLs) in the capital region will be affected earning wages ranging from P16,000 to P22,000. These workers were employed under administrative tasks, encoding, HR, liaison, marketing, finance, IT, housekeeping, as well as drivers and security guards.
“DOLE NCR is almost done with profiling. There are a few companies that did not submit the list, so DOLE went to them themselves and explained to them the reason why we are requesting the list of employees so that appropriate interventions could be provided come the closure of IGLs in our country,” Laguesma said.
According to DOLE, a job fair specifically for affected Pogo workers will be held in October. They are also eyeing to include the TUPAD program and livelihood projects to affected workers.
“One could be employment facilitation, referral to existing vacancies. Second is the possible availment of livelihood projects. Third, we also would like to complement it with possible upskilling and retooling.”
Last July when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the ban of all Pogo entities in the country during his state of the nation address (SONA). Marcos instructed DOLE 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.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
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