The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has approved a Php50
million grant to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to fund the ongoing deportation of foreign
workers employed by illegal offshore gaming operators in the country.
The funding was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement signed on Monday, June
30, at the PAGCOR Executive Office in Pasay City. The amount will be released in two
tranches of Php25 million each.
the agency’s Php50-million grant to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado of the Bureau of
Immigration.
The first tranche was disbursed during the ceremonial signing.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco said the grant will help cover the
repatriation expenses of illegal POGO workers currently held at the BI Warden Facility and
Protection Unit.
“These individuals are unable to return to their home countries because they cannot afford
a plane ticket,” Mr. Tengco said. “This grant will ensure they receive assistance in
accordance with international laws and humanitarian considerations.”
Mr. Tengco emphasized that the grant also underscores PAGCOR’s mission of ensuring a
clean, legitimate, and socially responsible gaming industry in the Philippines.
“PAGCOR has been continuously collaborating with the BI in enforcing the government’s
ban on offshore gaming operations, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive
last year,” the PAGCOR chief said.
“This inter-agency effort is not just about sending people home; it also ensures that only
legitimate gaming operations are allowed in our country,” Mr. Tengco said.
Mr. Tengco also expressed his gratitude to Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado
for the BI’s continued partnership with PAGCOR.
“Since I assumed the leadership of PAGCOR, I have always been open to help and
collaborate with our partner agencies,” he said. “We look forward to deepening this
collaboration with the BI to help create a safe and progressive place for all Filipinos.”
Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado (8 th from right) join representatives of both agencies
in a photo opportunity during the MOA signing.
For his part, Commissioner Viado said that the country faces an increasingly complex
security environment that requires a whole-of-government approach to uphold immigration
laws.
“Fast-tracking the deportation cases of illegal POGO workers will help ensure a safer
community for Filipinos,” he said. “The BI’s partnership with PAGCOR is proof that our
national government has the interest of the Filipinos at heart.”
