MANILA - A group of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) said Friday they would follow requirements for their partial return during the country's virus lockdown.
Facilities will undergo deep cleaning prior to re-opening, taxes, salaries and the government guarantee will be paid and employees will be tested, the Accredited Service Providers Association of PAGCOR (ASPAP) said in a statement.
Offshore gaming will be allowed to reopen, after it was categorized as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), which is allowed in quarantine areas, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp Chairman Andrea Domingo said.
POGOs offer "typical BPO services" such as call center operations, telemarketing, systems and hardware support as well as "live dealer" video streaming and other online games, ASPAP said.
“To stress a point – POGOs are offshore gaming operators, while POGO service providers are typical Philippine-based BPO companies that are purely paid service fees,” ASPAP said.
The group also said due to "strict precautionary measures" adopted early on, none of its workers tested positive for COVID-19.
Vice President Leni Robredo and several lawmakers earlier questioned the proposal to allow POGOs to resume operations while Filipino businesses remain suspended and under lockdown until May 15.
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