Senate PRIB/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The revenue collected from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) has decreased due to “change” in the environment, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday.
For 2022, the projected income from Pogos is P32 billion. However, only P3 billion has been collected to date.
“Ang nangyari ho du’n is the environment has changed. ‘Yung ine-expect natin na papasok na Pogo, hindi na pumasok,” Diokno said during the Senate Committee on Finance hearing.
(What happened is that the environment has changed. The expected number of Pogos that will enter did not enter.)
“In fact, limited na, at saka nagkaroon ng pandemic. That is also a big factor. Nawala na ‘yung Pogo,” he added.
(In fact, it is limited, and we experienced a pandemic. That is also a significant factor. There are no more Pogos.)
Senator Sonny Angara, chairperson of the panel, said that the projection was “very optimistic.”
According to Diokno, the government collected P7.2 billion from Pogos at its peak in 2020. Collections for 2021, however, dropped to P3.9 billion.