Only 100 displaced POGO workers land jobs at DOLE fair

MANILA, Philippines — Out of the thousands of displaced workers from Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) who attended a recent job fair in Pasay City, only 100 were hired on the spot, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Saturday, February 1.

The Career Con 2025 job fair, which ran for two days, offered over 8,000 job vacancies through at least 150 participating employers. 

While 18,000 displaced IGL workers initially expressed interest in the event, only around 8,000 showed up, according to DOLE.

During the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma attributed the low hiring rate to several factors. These include some workers waiting for a possible resumption of POGO (Philippine offshore gaming operators) operations, others already having jobs and many finding the offered salaries inadequate.

"We continue to reach out because records show that around 40,000 IGL workers have been directly affected by the closure of POGOs," Laguesma said.

According to DOLE, most of the IGL workers were previously employed in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Central Visayas, earning monthly salaries ranging from P16,000 to P22,000.

The labor department is also offering skills enhancement programs and livelihood assistance of up to P30,000 for those interested in starting a business to support the displaced workers.