The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) clarified that the foreign workers given alien employment permits (AEP) from January to April this year were employed in licensed internet gaming operators and not foreign workers employed in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGO.
DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma made the clarification following earlier reports that the department has stopped issuing AEP to foreign workers in POGO since May 2.
Based on Advisory No. 24-04, DOLE-NCR Director Sarah Mirasol said they shall no longer issue AEPs to foreign employees of companies still identified as a “POGO.”
The DOLE recently issued 8,000 AEPs.
In an interview during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay Forum, Laguesma said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR streamlined its regulations and transitioned into internet gaming licenses.
“We are strictly implementing the requirements and we are no longer accepting POGO applicants,” he said.
The Labor chief admitted that the department is still issuing AEPs but with stricter requirements, adding “we also now ban the work-from-home setups to foreigners.”
“We directed regional implementers to monitor and inspect their areas so that we will be able to determine if the firms are adhering to our country’s regulations,” Laguesma added.
Starting this week, the DOLE-NCR shall accept AEP applications from regular internet gaming licensees, provisional internet gaming licensees, or with notice of approval of the aforementioned license issued by PAGCOR and authorizations or notice of approval of the authorizations for gaming content providers and support providers.
It shall accept Accreditations or Notice of Approval of Accreditation of service providers, such as local gaming agents, special class of BPO, training program providers, independent testing laboratories, probity checkers, and accredited hubs.
“Licenses, authorizations, and accreditations or their notices of approval shall also be cross-checked with the list provided by PAGCOR on their website or the list that PAGCOR has been regularly providing, to verify their authenticity,” the DOLE said.