The Accredited Service Providers of PAGCOR (ASPAP) assured the public that it will be observing all protocols established under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and that the safety of everyone is a top priority.
This, as it welcomes the proposed Senate inquiry of Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros on the partial resumption of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO), saying that it is an opportunity to clear the concerns raised and clarify any disinformation regarding the matter.
In a statement, ASPAP spokesperson Atty. Margarita Gutierrez stressed that the association will cooperate with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and other relevant agencies in tackling pertinent and relevant information on the matter.
“We wish to reassure our legislators and the public that resumption of POGO operations would not undermine the ECQ or pose unnecessary health risk to the community,” said Gutierrez.
“Aside from stringent health and safety protocols imposed as pre-requisite to reopening, only 30 percent of the workforce mostly Filipinos, who must test negative for COVID-19, are allowed to return to work,” she added.
The ASPAP noted that so far, no cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been attributed to the POGO industry while its employees are advised against congregating in venues accessible to the general public.
“In the same breath, we wish to underscore that our operations shall be an important component in the country’s road to recovery from the devastating effects of the pandemic plague. Moving forward, we can only hope that a smoother cooperation between the private and public enterprises shall take precedence over any misimpression or miscalculation,” said Gutierrez.