A senator raised alarm Tuesday over the “huge potential” of the spread of the coronavirus disease among several Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators workers usually working in an enclosed area and residing in high-rise condominiums.
In objecting to the proposed resumption of POGO operations in the country, Senator Joel Villanueva said the Department of Finance should have a clear framework on what sectors would be allowed to operate once the Enhanced Community Quarantine on Luzon region will be lifted.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. which oversees POGOs, had written to President Rodrigo Duterte recommending the reopening of the industry as long as health protocols are in place, according to PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo.
Macon Ramos-Araneta
But the senator said the possibility that POGO workers, most of them Chinese nationals, will spread the disease should also be considered by the government, and not just because of their income contribution to the country’s coffers.
Villanueva considered POGOs “a high-risk sector,” adding that most of these firms “also don’t pay taxes.”
“So what’s the rationale for allowing them to operate?” asked the lawmaker who chairs the Senate labor committee.
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said he is amenable to the resumption of POGO operations if it is under a work-from-home system.
But if it is not work from home, Recto replied: “It’s non-essential. I would rather allow construction workers and farmers to go back to work.”