Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the NTC to rigorously enforce provisions of the SIM registration law following the retrieval of a substantial number of SIM cards during a series of search warrant implementations against a Tarlac-based Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), now termed as Internet Gaming Licensee (IGL).
Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III grilled Pagcor representatives who disclosed that they have issued 34 "offshore gaming licenses" to Pogos but are unsure how many of the licensees have operations or electronic servers based in the Philippines.
Sen. Franklin M. Drilon warned that to treat POGOs as part of the BPO industry will be detrimental to the country's efforts to collect franchise tax owed to the government in 2019 by majority of the 60 licensed online gaming operators.
As of December 2019, of the 118,239 workers in POGO establishments, eight out of 10 workers (82.3 percent) are foreigners, and the remaining two workers (17.7 percent) are Filipinos, data from Pagcor showed.
Sen. Leila De Lima said the government should seriously look at the issues concerning the rise of online gaming or Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) from multiple perspectives to realize its overall impact to the country and the Filipinos.
For the first time in 19 years, the BPO sector is going to be number 2 to the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) industry, which is projected to take up 450,000 square meters of office space by the end of 2019.
Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged the government to impose stricter and more effective regulations on the growing industry of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), which has led to an influx of Chinese businesses and labor into the country.
