Illegal POGO workers must be treated within PH’s law
WITH the Bureau of Immigration (BI) now facilitating the deportation of 48,000 unlicensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) foreign workers, Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Monday urged the government to treat the workers like other foreigners overstaying in the country.
Salceda pointed out that “there are laws on the proper handling of illegal aliens.”
“As I have repeatedly asserted, let’s just follow the law as is. We have enough laws to deport illegal workers,” Salceda stressed.
According to Salceda, “we have enough laws to protect people from human trafficking. Let them operate to the fullest extent.”
The respected lawmaker-economist reminded the public that there were thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) that were illegally working in other countries.
Salceda explained that there could be as many as 300,000 undocumented OFWs in the United States, at least 30,000 in the Netherlands, some 80,000 in Italy, and as many as 300,000 in Saudi Arabia.
“Any arbitrary law against undocumented workers here in the Philippines,” said Salceda, “will reflect poorly on us and will undermine the welfare of undocumented workers among our own compatriots.”
“So, let us allow the law to take its course, consistent with humanitarian considerations and international laws and convention,” Salceda said.
The Bicolano lawmaker earlier warned that banning POGOs would drive the industry and its workers underground.
“Eh di ‘yung mga illegal lalo silang naging illegal, they will go underground. And you will just worsen the so-called social cost of POGOs.”
