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POGOs owe gov’t P1.36B

September 7, 2021 Jester P. Manalastas 408 views

NO revenues, no benefits.”

This was how Deputy Speaker and Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. described the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) activities in the country.

Abante cited a Commission on Audit (COA) report that Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has receivables amounting to 1.365 billion from POGOs — some of which were already one or three years past due.

The solon, who declares strong opposition to POGO and other gambling activities, was dismayed over the long standing debts of the operators and its failure to bring in billions of pesos in revenues.

“The only ones profiting from this immoral industry are POGO operators who cannot even be expected to pay the government what it is due,” Abante said.

The solon has filed House Bill Number 6701 or the Anti-POGO Act of 2020 to prohibit the “conduct of online games of chance or sporting events via the internet using a network and software or program, exclusively to offshore authorized players, within Philippine territory.”

According to COA, 15 POGOs failed to remit the revenues to PAGCOR, with the top two delinquent POGOs owing the government a total of 642.37 million pesos.

The legal department of PAGCOR admitted that of the 15 POGOs with delinquencies, eight have had their licenses canceled, one was suspended, and three were under review.

With a majority of POGOs with collectibles no longer operating in the country, the lawmaker said that “it appears that many of the POGOs that set up shop in the Philippines have no intention of parting with their profits and paying their dues.”