Foreigners’ influx feared with online gambling ban

The labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Monday feared the influx of foreign workers in the Philippines after Cambodia banned online gambling, displacing thousands of foreign workers, mostly Chinese nationals.

In a statement, TUCP president Raymond Mendoza is proposing the creation of a coordinating body in managing and controlling the growth of offshore online gambling industry as it sees the influx of more Chinese workers into the country following the recent ban of gaming operations in Cambodia.

The Cambodian government last month banned the issuance of new online licenses and ordered a crackdown on thousands of Chinese workers employed in the operations in the towns of Sihanoukville, Bavet and Poipet.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he wanted online gambling operations terminated by the end of the year.

Around 6,000 Chinese nationals are leaving Cambodia since the ban directive was issued middle of last month, reports said.

For his part, Senator Joel Villanueva said they expected nothing less than the immediate shut down of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations.

“We do not owe anything to these errant POGOs who have the gall to refuse the correct payment of taxes of their workers,” he said.

The senator, chairman of the Senate labor committee, stressed it was high time the government acted with dispatch to make these firms comply with the country’s laws.

“We call on the interior department to support the Department of Finance by asking all local government units to revoke business permits of POGOs who do not comply with our tax laws,” he said.

He said the Interior department should also lend a hand to the Bureau of Internal Revenue by asking the police to fan out and shutter these firms, the way it closed down operations of the PCSO last month.

According to Villanueva, the sudden rise of the POGO industry and the problems that went with it like the so-called “real estate bubble” and the increase in crimes involving foreigners, was no joke.

The POGO industry has overtaken the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector in terms of demand for office space as of September, data released by real estate services firm Leechiu Property Consultants on Monday showed.

There is demand for more than 1 million square meters of office space so far this year, LPC chief executive officer David Leechiu said in a press conference in Makati City.

POGOs account for 34 percent of the demand equivalent to 386,000 sqm, while 31 percent or 355,000 square meters came from the IT-BPM and 35 percent or 398,000 sqm from other sectors.

The TUCP said the country remained attractive to Chinese online operators and workers though the Philippine government suspended issuing new licenses to prospective Philippine Online Gaming Offshore operators.

“While we are assessing the POGO overall social implications and weigh the comprehensive benefits of this online gambling industry in our economy by putting on hold issuance of new operating licenses, the TUCP would like to propose the creation of a POGO coordinating body that has supervision and control of the industry for the benefit of the country,” Mendoza said.

He said there were various government agencies that exercises authority over different aspects of the entire POGO industry namely the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Philippine National Police.

However, despite the affluence the POGO industry is bringing to the office and residential business, additional government revenue, construction, transport, retail and food, local employment, growing incidents such as kidnapping, homicide, misconduct, illegal recruitment, human trafficking, illegal online gambling operations, prostitution and use and trafficking of illegal drugs are also on the rise, Mendoza said.

“Government agencies have limited authority and they cease to function on area that is beyond their mandate. The dis-coordination between and among these agencies might cause government to entirely lose control of the industry. We have to learn from the Cambodian experience specifically in the aspect of government control over the entire aspects of the growing industry that has the potential to our economy,” Mendoza said.

The proposed coordinating body is composed of different concerned government agencies along representatives from labor and business sectors attached to the Office of the President.

Aside from coordinating government common response to the industry, the body shall also develop policies and programs in improving enforcement and compliance to labor and gambling operations, he said.

Mendoza said the labor organization was conducting study and assessment of the overall impact and trends in POGO industry particularly its economic and social implications in the community including the employment, living and working conditions of Chinese POGO workers in the country. - Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Labor alliance pushes for new panel to regulate POGOs

Vignettes of the office space inside an offshore gaming company in Metro Manila. Philstar file photo

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Labor alliance Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is urging government to create a coordinating body to manage and regulate the offshore gambling sector in the Philippines as it foresees more Chinese workers coming to the country after Cambodia banned online gaming.

According to a Radio Free Asia Report, around 120,000 Chinese nationals had left Cambodia by early September because of the ban.

With this, TUCP said it is anticipating the migration of the displaced offshore gaming operators and their Chinese workers to the Philippines. It said the country remains attractive to Chinese online operators and workers though the government suspended issuing new licenses to prospective Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators

"While we are assessing the POGO's overall social implications and weigh the comprehensive benefits of this online gambling industry in our economy by putting on hold issuance of new operating licenses, (we) would like to propose the creation of a POGO coordinating body that has supervision and control of the industry for the benefit of the country," TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said.

Mendoza warned that despite the profits the POGO industry is bringing to the office and residential business, additional government revenue, construction, transport, retail and food, local employment, "there is rising incidents such as kidnapping, homicide, misconduct, illegal recruitment, human trafficking, illegal online gambling operations, prostitution and use and trafficking of illegal drugs."

TUCP said "government agencies have limited authority and they cease to function on area that is beyond their mandate. The dis-coordination between and among these agencies might cause government to entirely lose control of the industry."

Mendoza sad the proposed coordinating body should be composed of different concerned government agencies along with representatives from labor and business sectors and attached to the Office of the President. - Artemio Dumlao (Philstar.com)

ALU-TUCP urges McDonald’s to hire PWDs, senior citizens in stores nationwide

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) on Thursday urged McDonald’s Philippines to expand its hiring program for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to all stores nationwide.

“Expanding the policy to other McDonald’s branches nationwide will provide hope to other PWDs and senior citizens who are often ignored by other local government unit and businesses. The policy extension will discourage discrimination and raise the business practice standards and compel other firms to do the same,” ALU-TUCP national executive vice president Gerard Seno said in a statement Thursday.

On Wednesday, McDonald’s Philippines signed a memorandum of agreement with the city government of Manila to employ senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in at least 40 McDonald’s stores in the city.

During the signing ceremony, McDonald’s Philippines executive vice president and managing director Margot Torres told reporters that the company has already hired over 30 elderlies and PWDs in different stores all over the country.

“We will work closely with PESO (Public Employment Service Office) to be able to do this outside after the city of Manila. Yes, there are plans to expand kasi meron na naman … its already there,” Torres said.

ALU-TUCP praised McDonald’s move to hire senior citizens and PWDs in its stores in Manila.

“Hiring senior citizens, persons with disabilities … but fit to work and highly productive individuals to work in McDonalds branches in Manila is commendable company policy,” Seno said.

“The agreement will attract more customers to the restaurant, provide income for the employees, make Manila city vibrant again and restores people’s trust in the city government,” he added. — By TED CORDERO , VDS, GMA News

TUCP: Review Datem Inc. accreditation

File photo / Inquirer

The workers group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Tuesday urged the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Contractor Accreditation Board to review the license and accreditation issued to Datem Inc. due to alleged deaths of construction workers while working at high-rise projects in Metro Manila.

TUCP president and TUCP party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza called on the PCAB and the DOLE to step in and review the license and permit they issued to the firm.

“They must look into the very serious reports of construction workers falling to their deaths not reported to the police and labor officials. They must look at various serious violations of general labor standards and construction occupational safety and health protocols and act accordingly,” said Mendoza.

Mendoza said he filed a resolution at the House of Representatives to conduct a legislative inquiry into the workplace deaths incidents with the aim of reviewing the policies on enforcement and monitoring of labor and occupational safety and health laws, and the accreditation of licenses issued to contractors and construction firms.

“The DOLE and PCAB must also closely look at reported rigged construction and substitution of materials with substandard items in some of Datem projects. If this is true, many of Datem high rise condominiums projects is at risk due to substandard construction materials used. The government authorities must act on this very serious matter,” Mendoza said.

In issuing accreditation and contractor’s license, PCAB must ensure contractor firms must comply with workers’ safety and construction building standards.

The DOLE, on other hand, should conduct special inspection and issue a work stoppage order with reports of workplace accidents resulting to deaths and serious injuries.

According to the workers, there were at least three incidents of Datem Inc. project sites accidents this year where workers’ deaths were not brought to the notice of the Philippine National Police, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and even to barangay unit which has jurisdiction where the mishap happened. - by Vito Barcelo