PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group operatives process seized computers and cellphones used allegedly for an illegal Philippine offshore gaming operation in Las Pinas City in June 2023. ABS-CBN News/file MANILA (UPDATED) — Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Saturday joined other economic managers in supporting calls to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs), saying the country “does not need” the sector.

Pangandaman is the latest Cabinet member who expressed disapproval of the operations of offshore gambling companies in the Philippines, echoing the stance of Finance Secretary Ralph Rector and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

“For the record, I don’t think we need them,” Pangandaman told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Malacañang.

 “We gave our recommendation already, a joint recommendation from the economic managers and I hope that they will consider,” she said.

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POGOs bring in between P40 billion and P50 billion in revenues, Pangandaman said, describing the amount as “small.”

“That [amount] can be done through efficiency and our revenue generation,” she said.

 “The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the BOC (Bureau of Customs), they are also digitalizing. We put up a lot of funding for the past few years and the next budget para sa digitalization lang,” she said.

The Department of Finance (DOF) earlier said that the Philippines losses over P99 billion annually due to POGO operations.

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 Aside from economic managers, lawmakers have also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ban offshore gambling operations in the Philippines, especially after congressional investigations showed illegal activities — like torture, illegal detention and unregulated gambling — proliferating in POGO hubs in different provinces.

Some Filipinos from gated villages have also banned Chinese nationals from renting properties in their communities, citing a spike in crimes and inconveniences brought by the influx of these foreigners who work in POGO hubs.

Despite calls to ban POGOs, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to make public his stance on this issue.

 Palace officials earlier said that the issue is still being reviewed, but some sectors are hoping that the President would declare his policy on POGOs during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.

 “I’m not sure but it is a hot issue so I won’t be surprised if he makes a statement,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez — the President’s cousin — earlier said that he prefers to have a stricter enforcement of laws instead of imposing a total ban on offshore gaming companies.

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But when asked if the President would likely mention a POGO ban in his SONA, Romualdez said: “We will leave the matter to his sound discretion.”

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero also declined to comment on the issue, saying he does not want to pre-empt the President’s speech.

 “Hindi ko ugaling pangunahan ang Pangulo sa anumang sasabihin niya,” the Senate President said.

 “Ang mas magandang kaugalian siguro natin ay antayin na lang natin ang sasabihin ng pangulo, analisahin at tingnan kung paano tayo makakatulong na maisakatuparan yun,” he said.

 “The President won by the highest margin ever in the history of the Philippine presidential elections, and it is but proper that we give him every opportunity to see his plans through and to deliver on his promises to the Filipinos.”