The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced on Wednesday that it has completed the profiling of nearly 27,000 Filipino workers affected by the ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

In a press conference, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the DoLE has profiled a total of 26,996 former Filipino POGO workers in four regions, namely, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Central Visayas.

“Because of this profiling we will now be able to determine what form of intervention we will provide,” Laguesma said.

The Labor chief said the government has scheduled a job fair specifically for the former POGO workers slated for the first week of October.

The job fair, he said, will be held to determine what interventions the DoLE could provide to the displaced workers.

“One could be employment facilitation, referral to existing vacancies. Second is the possible availment of livelihood projects. Third, we also would like to complement it with possible upskilling and retooling,” Laguesma said.

The DoLE has so far profiled 54 internet gaming licensee companies.

“We hope that we can offer them the necessary services based on their skills, as well as their preferences regarding which industry they would like to move to or if they want to start their own livelihood programs,” Laguesma said.

He had previously said that roughly 40,000 workers were affected by the total ban on POGOs that was announced by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his third State of the Nation Address last July.