DOLE: No report yet on displaced POGO workers

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

At the same time, Laguesma said initially they profiled some 20,000 POGO workers. (File Photo: Jerome Sajise, DOLE/IPS via Department of Labor and Employment – DOLE/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it has yet to receive reports of displaced workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), now known as Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs).

“Wala pa naman. Wala pang nareport na may nadisplace so far. Pero minomonitor ng DOLE-National Capital Region (NCR) kasi ang NCR, nariyan ‘yung majority ng IGLs (We have not yet received reports of displaced workers so far. However, the DOLE-NCR is currently monitoring the region because this is where the majority of IGLs are),” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said during Thursday’s Malacañang Insider episode.

At the same time, Laguesma said initially they profiled some 20,000 POGO workers.

Citing initial data from the DOLE-NCR, the labor chief said most of these workers are fit for jobs related to administration, finance, human resources, and encoding.

“Natutuwa kami, nagko-cooperate ang kanilang kumpanya, binibigay listahan ng mga manggagawa na maapektuhan sa closure ng IGL sa huling buwan ng taon. Tuloy tuloy yan at gusto natin makita na makapagkaloob tayo ng tamang assistance (We are happy. Their company is cooperative. They are providing the list of workers that might be affected by the closure of IGLs by the last month of the year. This is ongoing and we would like to see that we are able to provide proper assistance) ” he added.

Laguesma, meanwhile, urged affected workers to visit PhilJobNet, an automated job and applicant matching system that fast-tracks the jobseekers’ search and the employers’ hunt for manpower.

“Sa (In the) IT-BPO (information technology-business process outsourcing) sector, nandun pangangailangan nila para sa mga manggagawa na may kasanayan sa IT o yung (their demand for workers with skills in IT or those who are) techie or tech savvy. Our assistance, employment facilitation, orientation sa livelihood program, upskilling or reskilling are ongoing,” he added.

Laguesma said they plan to hold the job fair for affected IGL workers “within the month”.

In his third State of the Nation Address in July, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced a total ban on all POGOs and ordered them to cease operation by yearend.