MANILA – The government will continue holding job fairs for displaced workers of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO), now known as internet gaming licensees (IGLs) that are set to shut down by yearend, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said Monday.
“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin kami kahit sa January, February na tutulong sa mga naapektuhang IGLs (internet gaming licensees). Sisiguraduhin po natin na tutulungan natin lahat lalapit sa DOLE (We would continue to help affected employees of IGLs even in January, February next year. We would make sure that all those who would approach the DOLE would be assisted),” Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said in a press briefing.
Laguesma said DOLE regional offices and Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) are ready to assist affected workers.
The next special job fair is set in Calabarzon on Friday.
“Sa December 6, meron nakaschedule na job fair pero ito po ay sa (We have a scheduled job fair on December 6 and this would be in) Biñan, Laguna at partner natin ang (and our partner is the) government of Biñan City,” Laguesma added.
He also assured that workers from POGO firms will not be discriminated.
Laguesma cited two reasons for the low number of POGO workers that join special job fairs.
He said some workers are not convinced that the companies are closing by the end of the year while some are looking for jobs that offer salaries and benefits that are commensurate to their present job.
“Alam naman po natin na karamihan ng jobs vacancies inoffer sa job fair karamihan sa kanila ay (We know that most job vacancies offered to them during the job fairs are) entry level position,” the DOLE chief added.
Leave by yearend
In a related development, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded foreign POGO workers to comply with the December 31 deadline set by the government to leave the country.
In a statement, Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado underscored the urgency of the matter, noting that foreign nationals have only 29 days left to comply with the Philippine government’s directive regarding the cessation of POGO operations.
He reported that as of November 7, a total of 21,757 foreign nationals associated with POGO operations voluntarily downgraded their work visas to temporary visitor visas. Out of the approved applications for downgrading, 10,821 foreign nationals have since left the country already.
In October, the bureau issued cancellation orders to 12,106 foreign nationals who have not yet downgraded their visas. The said order requires those who have not voluntarily downgraded their visas and left the country to leave the country before the year ends.
Viado warned that those who fail to leave before the deadline will be subjected to deportation proceedings and will be blacklisted.
The BI is expecting around 20,000 more foreign POGO workers to leave in the next few weeks. (PNA)