AT least 48,782 alien visas of Chinese workers of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) will face cancellation of visas, according to the Bureau of Immigration.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the cancellation of the alien visas would give the Chinese nationals 59 days to exit the Philippines, as a more “cost-efficient” and “humanitarian” option instead of deportation.
The BI is still in the process of verifying whether the nationals remain in the country or have already left.
Should they refuse to leave within the 59-day period, the Chinese nationals will be deported, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“We must create a safe haven for the Filipino people to enjoy and be productive,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said in an emailed statement.
The Philippine government last month announced plans to deport at least 2,000 POGO workers by October, in line with the crackdown on undocumented foreign workers in the country.
Estimates of the DOJ indicate that there are some 40,000 POGO workers in the country, despite the termination of the license to operate of 175 POGO firms.
The DOJ on Sunday said there are 372 Chinese nationals in custody set to be deported, after being arrested by the NBI or PNP, said the GMA News report.
“The Department is aware of the effects this operation may have on the economy. However, given the many reports of murder, kidnapping and other criminal activities, the social cost of keeping illegal aliens heavily outweighs the projected effect it will have on the affected industries,” it said.
“Even so, the Department will be sure to coordinate with the National Economic team to counter any negative effects on the country,” it added.
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno last month said the country should do away with POGO citing “social” and “reputational” risks.
Diokno said that revenues from POGOs have already started to decrease, estimated at P3.9 billion in 2021 from P7.2 billion in the previous year.
