BBM bans POGOS

Shaken by their grave abuse and disrespect” of Philippine laws, President Marcos yesterday ordered an immediate ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators POGOs).

- ALEXIS ROMERO

"The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop. Kailangan nang itigil ang panggugulo nito sa ating lipunan at paglalapastangan sa ating bansa (The disorder they create in our society and their desecration of our country should be stopped). Effective today, all POGOs are banned," Marcos declared in his third State of the Nation Address.

The audience at the SONA, which lasted an hour and 22 minutes, erupted into cheers, with chants of "BBM! BBM!" Marcos acknowledged the strong public clamor against POGOs, and he said banning them would solve many of the problems faced by the country.

"I hereby instruct PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year," he added.

Marcos said the labor department, in coordination with the economic managers, would use the time until the end of the year to find new jobs for Filipino workers who would be displaced after the POGO ban.

"This will solve many of the problems that we are encountering.. but it will not solve all of them," he stressed.

"To solve all the problems that we have been sufferingunder, all officials, law enforcers, workers in government and most of all the citizenry, must always be vigilant, principled and think of the health of the nation," he said.

According to Marcos, POGOS were disguised as legitimate entities while operating in "illicit areas furthest from gaming" such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder.

He went on to quote English philosopher John Stuart Mill, who had emphasized the importance of directly acting against evil deeds.