PASIG CITY, (PIA) -- The City Government of Pasig closed establishments with both Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) and E-Games/E-Bingo.

On his Facebook page, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said that the establishments were closed a year later.

“To be fair to these businesses, we gave them 1 year, 2023, to wind up their operations pursuant to Ordinance 55 s. 2022.”

“Ipinasa natin ang Ordinansa para ipagbawal ang mga establisyementong ito dahil wala naman silang magandang naidudulot sa lipunan. Ang dami nang nalulong, meron pang nagpakamatay at kaso ng HUMAN TRAFFICKING na kaugnay nito. Bukod pa ito sa lagayan na nangyayari sa konseho noon. Kung sasabihin nila na may 'taxes' silang binabayaran, ay hindi rin naman ganun kalaki ang mawawala sa atin.”

(We passed the Ordinance to ban these establishments because they do nothing good for society. Many have been addicted, there are even suicides and cases of human trafficking related to it. This is in addition to what was happening in the council before. If they say that they are paying "taxes," we won't lose that much either.)

Sotto also said that some POGO’s were closed during his first term.

“The last one, registered as a 'BPO' was raided by the NBI in 2022,” adding that the permits for E-Games/E-Bingos expired last December 31, 2023.

“We gave them a chance, more than 1 month, to peacefully close on their own. However, in blatant disregard of the law and local government regulations, 18 of them continued operating without any permits until this February,” the local chief executive explained. (Pasig City/PIA-NCR)