Church to keep watch on President Marcos POGO ban

CEBU, Philippines — An organization of Christian churches in the Philippines says they will monitor the enforcement of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s ban on Philippines offshore gaming operators or POGO.

The Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking (PIMAHT) is concerned over the reported human trafficking associated with the POGO operations in the country.

The group “emphasized the urgent need to address the links between the so-called Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGO, and human trafficking,” according to a report from the news service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

CBCP assistant secretary general Fr. Bryant Restituto said PIMAHT was “critically aware of the current human trafficking trends, which are closely tied to the unlawful operations of POGOs.”

Aside from shutting down POGOs based on Marcos’ order, the government should also address the issue of children left by POGO employees who have been deported from the Philippines or forced to leave, he added.

“The PIMAHT upholds the decision of the Philippine government to the banning of all the POGO’s come end of the year, and as a network, it will become a watchdog to the progress of these directives,” Restituto said.

The CBCP joined the inaugural “Freedom Forum Asia,” organized by PIMAHT in Manila last November 28, 2024. It was attended by about 100 representatives from churches, government agencies, faith-based organizations and advocates from Southeast Asia, said the CBCP.

PIMAHT is composed of representatives from the CBCP, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).

“As human trafficking and criminal organizations evolve in their operations, we also evolve and strengthen our resolve in this fight and in this movement,” said PCEC national director Bishop Noel Pantoja who turned over the chairmanship of PIMAHT to the CBCP.

In early November 2024, President Marcos issued Executive Order 74 that formalized his declaration during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year about the ban on POGOs. — (FREEMAN)