5th September 2024 – (Manila) Tens of thousands of Chinese nationals employed in the Philippines within the offshore gambling sector face the cancellation of their work visas by mid-October. This move comes as the Southeast Asian nation intensifies efforts to dismantle the industry by the end of the year, amidst increasing pressure from both Beijing and Manila.
Philippine authorities have urged foreign nationals working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to voluntarily surrender their work visas by October. If not, the government will forcibly cancel the visas of those involved in these operations, as per a recent report by the Philippine digital media outlet, Rappler. The report highlights that while these roles have also been filled by Filipinos and citizens from third countries, a significant majority of the visa holders are from China.
At its peak, the POGO sector employed over 300,000 Chinese workers, but current figures suggest that the number of those legally employed has halved. The crackdown on POGOs is a response to suspected criminal activities associated with these operations, which has garnered rare consensus between China and the Philippines, despite ongoing sovereignty disputes over the South China Sea.
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