The Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) providing assistance to support the faster deportation of illegal foreign workers involved in illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs).
This initiative supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to uphold national security and intensify enforcement against illegal foreign nationals operating within the country.
The ceremonial signing took place at the PAGCOR office in Pasay City, with PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco and BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado as principal signatories.
Under the agreement, PAGCOR will provide the BI with a ₱50 million grant, to be released in two equal tranches, for the deportation of illegal foreign POGO workers physically held at the Bureau’s Warden Facility and Protection Unit (BIWFPU).
“We thank PAGCOR for their active support, which will greatly boost our efforts in clearing the country of undocumented and overstaying aliens, especially those connected to illegal online operations,” said Viado. “This grant affirms the whole-of-government approach in addressing threats to national security, while protecting our borders from transnational criminal elements.”
Viado added that the partnership also reflects the Marcos administration’s intensified crackdown on criminal syndicates exploiting immigration loopholes.
“This MOA is a concrete step in addressing the POGO-related concerns that have caused public alarm, and we are proud to be part of the national solution,” Viado said.
