Senators push for POGO ban during Marcos' SONA

Senator Aquilino 'Koko' Pimentel III and other lawmakers are urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to announce a total ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), scheduled for July 22.

Pimentel highlights that POGOs expose the country to foreign nationals involved in crimes and abuses, with Senate hearings revealing minimal tax earnings from these operators while exposing them to illegal activities such as investment scams, human trafficking, and torture.

Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Joel Villanueva have joined the call for a ban on POGOs, citing high social costs and criminality associated with these operations. Zubiri proposed giving POGOs one or two years to transition before banning them entirely.

Villanueva thanked the Marcos administration's economic managers, the business community, and Philippine National Police for supporting the proposed ban, urging the President to declare it during his SONA as a gift to the nation.

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on July 16 to discuss Villanueva's proposed Anti-Online Gambling Act, among other measures to monitor online gambling closely.