Gatchalian to DOLE: Adopt proactive approach to cancel employment permits of foreign POGO workers
November 19, 2024
Gatchalian to DOLE: Adopt proactive approach to cancel employment permits of foreign POGO workers
Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to adopt a proactive approach that would lead to the cancellation of alien employment permits (AEPs) issued to foreign workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry as effectivity of the ban on POGOs draws near.
"POGO entities are morphing into something else so they could stay in the country and continue their scamming activities," Gatchalian noted as he interpellated on DOLE's proposed budget for 2025.
"We need a very proactive approach to cancel and eventually send these workers to their country of origin and we need the entire government machinery to work together to cut the legal basis for these individuals to stay in the Philippines," he stressed.
The legal basis for POGO operations in the country is set to expire by the end of the year, after which a ban will take effect.
According to DOLE, about 15,819 AEPs were issued in 2024 alone. About 36,000 AEPs have already been canceled since the President announced in July a ban on POGOs by the end of the year. The department said it is coordinating closely with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to ensure that the working visas of foreigners with POGO-related AEPs are canceled and they are prevented from staying illegally in the country.
At the same time, Gatchalian urged the labor department to step up its employment facilitation programs for Filipino POGO workers to ensure that those displaced from the industry would be absorbed by the labor market.
"This is one of the things that we are worried about -- the displacement of Filipino workers. So, I urge the department to continue with job fairs and other programs for local POGO workers so that displaced workers would be given meaningful jobs," Gatchalian said. DOLE said about 27,590 Filipinos were employed by POGOs.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Gatchalian has aggressively advocated for the expulsion of POGOs from the country for over two years.
Gatchalian sa DOLE: Gumamit ng proactive approach para kanselahin ang permit ng mga dayuhang manggagawa ng POGO
Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) na magpatupad ng proactive approach na hahantong sa pagkansela ng alien employment permits o AEP na ibinibigay sa mga dayuhang manggagawa ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators o POGO dahil sa nalalapit na pagpapatupad ng ban.
"Iniiba-iba lang ng mga POGO ang kanilang anyo upang manatili sila sa bansa at ipagpatuloy ang kanilang mga aktibidad sa pang-i-scam," sabi ni Gatchalian sa kanyang interpellation sa panukalang pondo ng DOLE para sa 2025.
"Kailangan natin ng napaka-proactive na diskarte para kanselahin ang kanilang mga work permit at sa huli ay ipadala ang mga manggagawang ito sa kanilang bansang pinanggalingan at kailangan natin ang buong makinarya ng gobyerno na magtulungan upang putulin ang legal na batayan para sa mga indibidwal na ito na manatili sa Pilipinas," diin niya.
Ang legal na batayan para sa operasyon ng POGO sa bansa ay nakatakdang magwakas sa katapusan ng taon. Dito magkakabisa ang pagbabawal sa mga POGO.
Ayon sa DOLE, nasa 15,819 na AEP ang na-isyu ngayong taon. Humigit-kumulang 36,000 AEP naman ang nakansela mula nang magdeklara ang Pangulo ng POGO ban. Sinabi ng kagawaran na ito ay mahigpit na nakikipag-ugnayan sa Bureau of Immigration (BI) upang matiyak na ang mga working visa ng mga dayuhan na may POGO-related AEPs ay kanselado at sila ay mapipigilan na manatili nang ilegal sa bansa.
Kasabay nito, hinimok ni Gatchalian ang labor department na palakasin ang kanilang employment facilitation programs para sa mga Pilipino na nagtatrabaho sa mga POGO upang matiyak na ang mga mawawalan ng trabaho sa industriya ay makakakuha agad ng trabaho.
"Ito ang isa sa mga bagay na inaalala natin -- ang mawalan ng trabaho ang mga Pilipinong nasa POGO. Kaya, hinimok ko ang departamento na ipagpatuloy ang mga job fair at iba pang programa para sa mga lokal na manggagawa ng POGO upang ang mga maaalis sa trabaho ay mabibigyan ng makabuluhang trabaho," sabi ni Gatchalian. Sinabi ng DOLE na humigit-kumulang 27,590 Pilipino ang nagtatrabaho sa mga POGO.
Sa loob ng mahigit dalawang taon, isinusulong ni Gatchalian ang pagpapatalsik sa mga POGO sa bansa. Siya ang chair ng Senate Committee on Ways and Means, agresibong isinusulong
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