"Some are bad but government is earning," Sen. Francis Escudero said of POGOs. Senate PRIB /File photo
In a statement, Escudero—who leads the Senate Committee on Finance—said the lost income from banning POGOs would need a new source, which would come in the form of higher taxes. “Look, some are bad, but that doesn’t mean all are bad. Some are bad but government is earning. PAGCOR’s income increased by several hundred percent due to POGO,” he added, referring to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., as it booked P58.96 billion versus P35.48 billion in 2021. Gaming operations accounted for P55.05 billion.
“The review of POGO is a good start but [PAGCOR] should coordinate with law-enforcement agencies, not to clear with them but of course so that it knows what’s going on to those it issued licenses,” he added.