Solon calls for moratorium on hiring new Pogo employees

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) to issue a moratorium on hiring new employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) and services providers amid the novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV scare.

ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap, who chairs the House committee on games and amusements, made the call after Pagcor ordered all Pogos and services providers to impose a 10-day quarantine on all newly-hired and returning employees from countries where cases of 2019-nCoV have been reported.

“Ating hinihikayat ang PAGCOR na mag-issue ng moratorium sa pagtanggap ng POGOs at service providers ng mga bagong empleyado at ng mga pabalik na empleyado mula sa ibang bansa, lalo na mula sa China,” Yap said.

(We are urging Pagcor to issue a moratorium on the Pogos and service providers’ acceptance of newly-hired employees and returning employees from another country, especially China.)

Yap said the move is an attempt to avoid the entry of the virus into the country.

“Mas prayoridad natin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan. Aanhin pa natin ang kikitain ng bansa mula sa POGOs kung magkakaroon ng Coronavirus outbreak sa bansa,” the lawmaker said.

(We are giving more priority to the safety of our countrymen. What is the income we get from Pogos if there will be a coronavirus outbreak in the country?)

The Department of Health on Tuesday said that the Philippines have 24 patients under investigation (PUIs) for the suspected novel coronavirus.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said most of the PUIs are from China.

Edited by EDV