BPOs can mitigate impacts of POGO Ban, said lawmakers
Philippine Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian are pushing for further development in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry amid calls for a total ban of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
During a senate hearing, Gatchalian said that while POGOs’ contribution to the economy can be considered significant, BPOs can mitigate the impact of banning them by taking up the office spaces left behind.
He also noted that according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the POGO industry does not have a roadmap in their continued existence in the country.
The senator added that it would be better for the Philippines to focus on sustainable businesses that could promise employment rather than those that causes uncertainty in the economy.
At the same time, Senate President Zubiri said that strengthening the BPO sector would bring more job opportunities to Filipinos in contrast to POGOs
Zubiri said most of the senators are opposing POGO but they have to wait for the official report of the Senate ways and means committee on the pros and cons of the offshore gaming operations in the country.
He also emphasized that POGOs could cause foreign relations issues with China as the country is tightening its noose on the sector.
Should the Chinese government discourage its nationals from going to the Philippines, Zubiri said the country might lose around two million tourists.
