By Junex Doronio
MANILA — What’s in a name?
Amid the skepticism of some quarters that the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) can get away with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s marching order to ban them all, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman Alejandro Tengco has assured lawmakers that he will see to it that the ban will cover even the 43 remaining legal POGOs— now called internet gaming licensees (IGLs) by the gaming regulator— that have valid licenses to operate.
On Tuesday (23 July 2024), Tengco explained to the House’s joint committees on public order, safety, games, and amusement that the term IGL was only coined after he assumed office last year.
Tengco claimed that he oversaw the implementation of stricter regulations for POGOs and rebranded them to rid these Chinese-centric gaming operators of the “stigma” associated with them.
But he cannot ax all POGOs by himself.
“I cannot wind down the operations of illegal Pogos because those are not within my jurisdiction. But the 43 in my jurisdiction, that’s clear, I will wind them down,” Tengco said.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro asked Tengco about the difference between POGOs and IGLs, as they expressed apprehension that the ambiguity in wording could leave loopholes in enforcing the ban.
“Congressmen, I am not in disagreement (with the directive), and as I told this committee in the previous hearing, I will follow the President’s orders and what he said was very clear,” Tengco stressed.
(el Amigo/mnm)
