Visa cancellation of over 48,000 POGO workers underway

[Mike J]

Seems the new leadership is taking a harder line against POGOs?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1674025/visa-cancellation-of-over-48000-pogo-workers-underway-bi

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration has begun processing the visa cancellation of over 48,782 foreign employees of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) whose license to operate have been revoked by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

“Upon receipt of the information from Pagcor, we immediately started cross-checking their employees to determine which ones are still in the country,” Immigration chief Norman Tansingco said in a statement issued on Sunday.

“While this is a laborious task as we have to check each and every record, we are confident that this could be completed in a month.”

With their visas cancelled, the foreign workers will be ordered to leave the country in 59 days. Those who remain beyond 59 days will be deported.

“This is the regular procedure for cancelled visas, and this is actually more economical and faster,” Tansingco said.

The cost of departure will be shouldered by the workers themselves.

Meanwhile, the bureau’s Board of Commissioners has issued a summary deportation order on  372 foreigners, 331 of whom are Chinese and the remaining 41 are of other nationalities.

The 372 foreigners were were rounded up in separate operations of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Pasig and Angeles last September.

The Philippines has turned into a hotbed for Chinese gangsters when Vietnam and Cambodia outlawed Chinese-backed online gambling and overseas casinos that are similar to POGOs, according to Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, the director of PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

So far the PNP has only only received 27 reports of kidnapping cases, of which, 20 are linked with POGOs, according to the PNP spokesperson, Col. Jean Fajardo.

Lawmakers have been calling on the government outlaw POGOs because it has been linked to a recent spate of kidnappings and other crimes.

 

[BrettGC]

I'm guessing these workers live in share houses stacked to the rafters so shouldn't be to hard to find?  Especially with the domino effect of them all informing on each other.  

[Kingpin]

4 hours ago, Mike J said:

Lawmakers have been calling on the government outlaw POGOs

That's nice, but have they written an actual bill yet...

[BrettGC]

4 minutes ago, Kingpin said:

That's nice, but have they written an actual bill yet...

The licences have been revoked regardless.  It'd be nice to know on what grounds though.  

[Freebie]

And Im sure the very same Immigration officers who let this garbage in illegally in the pastillas scam  ( prostitution, money laundering , kidnapping, enforced working, traffickingetc.. yes my term is correct ) will be very happy to collect money from them for an extension over and over the 59 days. Rubbing their hands with glee.

The Bureau Immigration hasnt exactly a lillywhite reputation.

[Old55]

24 minutes ago, Freebie said:

And Im sure the very same Immigration officers who let this garbage in illegally in the pastillas scam  ( prostitution, money laundering , kidnapping, enforced working, traffickingetc.. yes my term is correct ) will be very happy to collect money from them for an extension over and over the 59 days. Rubbing their hands with glee.

The Bureau Immigration hasnt exactly a lillywhite reputation.

My thoughts exactly. 

[Snowy79]

I'd be keeping an eye out for cheap rentals or purchases if they kick that many out of the country as it's artificially inflated some areas. 

[Kingpin]

3 hours ago, BrettGC said:

The licences have been revoked

Gangsters don't need no stinkin license

7 hours ago, Mike J said:

The Philippines has turned into a hotbed for Chinese gangsters when Vietnam and Cambodia outlawed Chinese-backed online gambling

Maybe after they round up and deport 48,782 gangsters, the Philippines can outlaw it too?

Or maybe that's a lot of visa extension revenue...

3 hours ago, Freebie said:

The Bureau Immigration hasnt exactly a lillywhite reputation.

 

[scott h]

7 hours ago, BrettGC said:

The licences have been revoked regardless.  It'd be nice to know on what grounds though.  

Since we have a lot of POGO in our area I have been following this pretty closely. I cannot remember exactly when or the exact percentages, but during the pandemic congress passed a low greatly increasing the operating taxes on the POGOs and I mean GREATLY. They were really trying to make  up for buget shortfalls. During the pandemic the POGOs basically shut  down and I am sure they stopped paying their fees and taxes. Just reopened, operated, getting as much profit as they could before being forceably shut down (as is happening now) and just abandoned their workers. 

11 hours ago, Mike J said:

The cost of departure will be shouldered by the workers themselves.

I will bet good money that a vast majority will be flat broke.

[Freebie]

Not only flat broke... Bureau of immigration boldly announced in yesterdays Senate Inquiry into POGOs and the social ills they bring, that BI had no idea where the  48,000 chinese actually are.

Presumably soon they will start giving out money for tips for info on where the chinese are hiding.