MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created special teams to ensure workers of Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos) are following the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) rules being enforced by the government, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Thursday.
“There are certain requirements imposed by the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and DOF (Department of Finance) for them to comply and if they do not comply then we will not allow them (Pogos) to operate,” Año said when asked about government’s steps to ensure Pogos are complying with quarantine rules such as social distancing.
“We also formed a special team in the law enforcement to check on these areas, venues for their operations to make sure they are following quarantine rules. If they violate them, we padlock and stop their operations,” he added.
This comes as the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has allowed licensed Pogo firms to partially resume operations amid the ECQ which is being enforced to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo said Pogo workers are required to wear face masks while temperature checks, social distancing, and proper sanitation must be observed in all Pogo establishments.