According to Philippine media reports, Senator Risa Hontiveros stated on October 14 that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) network linked to former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo may still be operating secretly. Guo was previously convicted of qualified trafficking in persons tied to illicit offshore gaming operations in Bamban and is currently held at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong.
Hontiveros pointed to recent high-profile raids as evidence of this lingering presence. Between October 12 and 14, law enforcement officers raided the Cubao district in Quezon City, arresting 76 foreign nationals suspected of involvement in POGO-related activities. Meanwhile, in Zamboanga Sibugay, authorities conducted what has been described as the province's largest crackdown on illegal offshore gaming to date, detaining more than 200 foreign nationals.
Following the nationwide ban on POGOs, the gray-market industry has largely fragmented and retreated underground. Rather than disappearing entirely, operations have increasingly scattered from major hubs in Metro Manila into peripheral districts and remote provinces, attempting to fly under the radar while regulatory and law enforcement scrutiny continues.
With crackdowns intensifying across regional centers, foreign nationals caught in these sweeps face prolonged detention and deportation. Foreign workers in the Philippines should remain vigilant against recruitment pitches masked as high-paying customer service or IT roles, ensuring all visas and work permits strictly adhere to local labor regulations.
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