Philippines launches 'intensive search operation' for Chinese immigrants

Posted: January 3, 2025, 09:46 pm.

Last updated: January 3, 2025, 09:46 pm.

The Philippines Bureau of Immigration believes more than 11 thousand foreigners who immigrated to the Southeast Asia island nation to work in online gaming operations have stayed in the country until the end of the year despite being told to leave. Remained inside only.

To appease the People's Republic of China, President of the Philippines Ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos jrIn July the country's online gambling industry was ordered to shut down immediately. Many online casino businesses, known as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs, target countries where gambling via the Internet is not allowed, namely China.

The Philippines Bureau of Immigration gave foreign workers lured to work in POGOs a December 31, 2024 deadline to exit the country. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado told this week philippine news agencyThe official news outlet of the Philippine government, that they suspect that 11,254 foreign POGO workers remain inside the country.

I have ordered my intelligence department to start a massive search for those people. They are now considered illegal aliens,” Viado said.

“An intensive campaign is expected against these illegal aliens. The President's order is clear – there will be no more POGOs in the Philippines,” the BI chief said.

immigrants seeking asylum

For many years, Chinese President Xi Jinping Called on the Philippines government to stop POGO from allowing online casino players from China. Most forms of gambling are banned on the mainland, except for state-run lotteries and sports gambling pools. Casinos operate only here MacauA special administrative region of the People's Republic.

It is illegal to participate in or operate an online gambling enterprise in China. The penalties for those found guilty of committing such illegal acts are severe, although it is rare for an individual player to be prosecuted.

China has warned its citizens for many years that it is also illegal to work in an online gambling organization. But thousands of Chinese were lured to the Philippines on the promise of a better life with higher wages.

POGO employed about 40K people earlier this year to serve online gamblers on mainland China, many of whom were Mandarin-speaking Chinese.

POGO industry at its peak in 2019, online gaming platform won almost 3 billion dollars From foreign players.

POGO on notice

Along with warning remaining foreign POGO workers that they should leave the Philippines, Presidential Commission on Anti-Organized Crime Executive Director Gilbert Cruz this week said that landlords who knowingly allow online gaming organizations to operate in their properties, He will face criminal charges. Cruz explained that property owners risk having their property seized if law enforcement discovers POGO operations.

Since the Marcos ban, there have been reports of small online gaming operations setting up shops in apartment buildings and hotel rooms.