Filipino workers in the online gaming industry strongly opposed calls by big business groups to phase out Philippine offshore gaming operators and their service providers.

In a statement, the group Pinoy sa POGO described business organizations advocating for the closure of POGOs as "elitists" and "anti-poor."

"They've never experienced hunger or lack of money to send their children to school, so they do not care about us," she Karen Santa Cruz, one of the officers of the POGO workers' association. She said wealthy businessmen are oblivious to the workers who will lose their jobs.

Santa Cruz added the real "social cost" is massive unemployment if the government shuts down POGOs and their service providers that employ thousands of Filipinos as encoders, dealers, housekeeping staff, drivers, cooks and waiters.

"The worst insult is to deprive us of dignity and cause family separation when we are again forced to seek work abroad," she said.

Moreover, the group scored the Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines and the Foundation for Economic Freedom, and even the Department of Finance for their alleged misleading and discriminatory statements dismissing the significant economic contributions of legitimate POGOs and service providers that pay proper taxes and license fees to the government.
Concerned for the welfare of their members, Pinoy sa POGO appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to help Filipino POGO workers.

"May maayos na trabaho po kami, mahal na Pangulo. 'Wag 'nyo po sanang hayaan ang malalaking grupo ng negosyante na sirain ang aming kabuhayan at pamilya ngayong papalapit na ang Pasko, (We have well-paying jobs, Mr. President. We are pleading for your help by not allowing big business groups to take away our jobs and ruin the future of our families especially now that Christmas is just around the corner)," Santa Cruz said.

"Aside from the illegal practice of 'endo,' many elitist members of these business groups don't even pay their workers and household staff decent salaries and benefits. Yet, they want to take away regular, well-paying jobs for POGO workers. Will they support our families if we're jobless?" she asked.

Pinoy sa POGO also criticized the business groups and some lawmakers for the alleged "double standard" in dealing with online gaming.

"Their hearts bleed for Chinese mainlanders who gamble in POGOs but are strangely silent regarding the proliferation of local text and online gaming scams that lure Filipinos, including the youth, to gamble," Santa Cruz added.