Cebu City continues investigation of Pogo-like activities

Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia | CDN File Photo/Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City acting mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia continues to investigate Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo)-like activities here.

Garcia said on Monday that he received a letter from the League of Cities of the Philippines signed by acting president, Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, informing all cities to investigate Pogo-like activities in their areas.

Garcia said that Belmonte’s letter was part of the directive from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that aimed to crackdown on Pogos and its related activities in the country.

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According to him, DILG has provided a list of companies that needed investigation.

But even before he received the letter, Garcia reiterated that he immediately formed a task force following the order of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. to ban all Pogos in the country during his State of the Nation Address (Sona).

Garcia’s task force was composed of the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) and the police. He said they instructed them to monitor and look after Pogo-like operations in the city.

“Nakita nila, there’re no operations. Nanira na gani ang uban. Ang uban, lain na nga negosyo ang ni-occupy. Ang uban nangaretire na ang mga business permits,” Garcia said.

(They saw there’re no operations here. Others have even shut down. For others, there are already other businesses occupying. Still others have already retired their business permits.)

There are at least 40,000 registered establishments in the city, according to the data from BPLO and Garcia, and none of them operated Pogo-like activities.

“When you talk of Pogos and Pogo-like operations nga legal…kaning mga legal Pogos, wa na gyud ni nag operate here in the City of Cebu. However, ako lang i-clarify kay naa may illegal nga Pogo-like operations which are under the radar,” Garcia added.

(When you talk of Pogos and Pogo-like operations that are legal…these legal Pogos, this are no longer operating here in the city of Cebu. However, I would just clarify because there are still Pogo-like operations which are under the radar.)

He said those that were under the radar were being the focus now of the police and BPLO.