The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it expects about 20,000 former POGO workers to leave the country by the end of the month as time runs out before the ban on the offshore gambling industry goes into effect.
In a statement, the bureau reminded POGO foreign workers that they must abide by the government’s deadline to leave the country before the end of the year or risk being deported and blacklisted.
According to the agency, as of November 7, a total of 21,757 foreign nationals linked to POGO activities had voluntarily downgraded their work visas to temporary visitor visas, with 10,821 of them having already left the country. Another 12,106 foreign nationals who did not downgrade their visas were issued cancellation orders in October.
In July, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in an address to the nation that he was immediately banning all POGOs and giving them until December 31, 2024, to close all operations. An executive order making the ban official was issued in early November.
BI said it “wants to ensure a smooth and orderly process for affected foreign workers, hence the reminder to respect the deadline. Affected individuals are advised to promptly make all necessary travel arrangements.”
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