BI: 22,609 Pogo workers leave PH; 11,000 others for deportation

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 22,609 Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) workers have left the country following the December 31 deadline, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Monday.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said that out of the 33,863 Pogo workers registered under the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), over 11,000 remain in the country and are now subject to deportation.

“Ngayon po sisimulan natin ang location sa kanila through their companies dahil tapos na po ang voluntary period, December 31 ‘yan,”

“We will now start locating them through their companies since the voluntary period to leave the country ended on December 31,” Sandoval said in Filipino in a “Teleradyo” interview.

Sandoval explained that Pogo firms must now surrender employees who failed to leave by the deadline.

“After December 31, voluntary compliance will no longer be in effect, The first step is to make their companies surrender these employees because the company still holds responsibility since they are the petitioners of the foreign nationals,” she pointed out.

According to Sandoval, Pogo workers who stayed beyond the deadline, regardless of whether they downgraded their visas, are now classified as illegal aliens.

“Some were unable to downgrade. Others managed to downgrade but failed to leave before the December 31 deadline. So essentially, they are still considered illegal since they were supposed to downgrade and leave,” she said.

“So we make sure that they leave the country, and they are blacklisted once they are deported,” she added.

Sandoval said the BI is collaborating with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), local government units, and local law enforcement agencies to locate the remaining Pogo workers.

She also warned companies and individuals against harboring illegal aliens, as they may be held liable under immigration laws.

“That’s why we’re also warning the companies, as they are liable if they continue to harbor these foreign nationals,” she said.