DOLE completes profiling of nearly 27K Filipino POGO workers

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Wednesday that it has completed profiling of nearly 27,000 Filipino workers affected by the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operations (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 can provide," Laguesma said.

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

The job fair, he noted, will be done to determine which intervention the DOLE will 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 added.

DOLE has so far profiled 54 internet gaming licensee companies.

"We hope that we'll be able to provide them with the necessary services dun sa kanilang kakayahan kasama rin siguro yung preference nila sa gusto nilang malipatan o kung sila ay magtatayo ng sariling livelihood program (based on their skills as well as their preference on which industry they want to be transferred or if they will establish their own livelihood program)," Laguesma said.

Laguesma previously said that roughly 40,000 workers have been affected by the ban on POGO.

During his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced the ban on all POGOs in the country.