Local-government bosses in the Philippines have been told by the national authorities to step up inspection of business premises to make sure they are not hosting either offshore online gaming operations or workers of such now-banned entities.
Last year the Philippine President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, issued an executive order prohibiting all operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) – also known as Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) – by year-end.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla gave a clearout directive to local government on Saturday after a Bureau of Immigration operation that led to the arrest of circa 400 foreigners at a company in Parañaque City, Metro Manila, on January 8.
Those detained were said to be engaged in things “similar” to POGO operations, but which were described by the government’s Philippine News Agency as “scam hub” activity.
Mr Remulla was cited as saying, addressing local chief executive (LCEs): “This is a message to all LCEs, do your job well, make sure you inspect all the buildings.”
He added that the Department of the Interior and Local Government would seek an explanation from the Parañaque City government regarding the presence of the POGO-like company detected in the raid.
In a memorandum on January 2, Mr Remulla ordered all local government units (LGUs) regularly to inspect business premises to ensure there were no clandestine operations.
LGUs are likewise directed to coordinate with the Philippine National Police for hidden companies running offshore online gaming operations.
Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission executive director, said cases have been filed against LCEs due to what the news agency cited him alleging was “negligence and failure to address widespread POGO activities”.
Mr Cruz asserted local officials could not claim ignorance of such operations, if they were active within communities.
At the start of the year, the country’s Bureau of Immigration – as cited by local media – said it had a record of circa 11,000 foreign workers linked to offshore online gaming operators that had failed to leave the Philippines by end-2024.
A total of 22,609 workers linked to those companies had exited the Philippines before a December 31 deadline set by the national government.
