DILG chief: POGOs must wind down starting Dec. 15

Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) need to wind down starting Dec. 15 and be closed by Dec. 31, in accordance with the yearend deadline set by President Marcos, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said yesterday.

- Bella Cariaso, Rhodina Villanueva, Emmanuel Tupas

In a television interview, Remulla said that the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Philippine National Police (PNP) are concentrating on the 47 remaining active licenses.

"(By) Dec. 15, we will start the visitation of all their sites. They should show that they are already winding down and we are accounting all their visas, mostly Chinese nationals who went here using a working visa for POGO. So, there is an interconnection of the two. If there is no POGO, they need to leave the country as they have no working visa here. (Their) visa is no longer valid," Remulla said.

The DILG chief said all POGOs should be closed starting Dec. 31, regardless of nationality.

"Even if you are licensed, Filipinos, Chinese, or Americans, by Dec. 15 you should be winding down and by Dec. 31, you should be closed already," Remulla said.

President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 74 imposing an immediate ban on offshore and internet gaming in the country.