PAOCC extends help to ‘abandoned’ kids

At least 15 young children whose foreign fathers — former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) workers who were deported — are now seeking government assistance, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Sunday.

PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said the children, whose mothers are Filipinas, range from infants to three-year-olds.

“Every week, they come to us asking for money for milk, diapers, and sometimes even to pay for their apartment rent,” Cruz said in a radio interview, adding that the children have become “collateral damage” of the illegal POGO operations in the country.

The PAOCC is not allowing the children to stay in their detention center but is providing them with necessary support and it is also coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development to address their needs.

“It’s just sad that because of these problems, even children get affected,” Cruz said.

To recall, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned all POGOs in July, citing their involvement in various crimes, including human trafficking, serious illegal detention, and money scams.

Foreign POGO workers were given until 15 October 2024 to downgrade their 9G visas to tourist visas and until the end of the year to leave the Philippines.