No rush to ban POGOs

ZURICH – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is in no rush to ban the controversial Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) industry as suggested by some groups.

“It depends what the purpose is of banning them or removing them, because the problem in reference to Pogos, the problems come from the illegal ones, not the legal ones,” Mr. Marcos said in a press briefing here on Friday before flying back to Manila.

“The legal ones pay their bills, pay their taxes,” he said.

On the other hand, he said those Pogos involved in killings were the illegal ones.

“That is why we have shut down the illegal ones and deported their people,” he added.

But when it comes to a blanket policy of banning the Pogo, Mr. Marcos said, “I don’t know what would be the point. It’s not a huge part of our economy. And if it’s adjudged that there is a social cost, it might not be worth it. The cost might not be worth what they’re paying in taxes anymore.”

However, he said the Philippines could assist if China needs assistance with its crackdown against Pogos.
“if China wants us to do that, we’ll see what the arrangement could be,” he said.

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The article was originally published in Inquirer.NET and written by Doris Dumlao-Abadilla.