The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Philippines has started gathering information about workers from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). This step is in response to the government’s plan to stop all POGO operations by the end of this year. The decision to end these operations came from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. As a result, DOLE wants to understand how this will impact the workers involved. This profiling process is aimed at helping those who will be affected by this government action.
What The Employment Director Said
Patrick Patriwirawan Jr., the director of DOLE Bureau of Local Employment, shared recent updates. He said that DOLE has already collected profiles for 27,747 Filipino workers in the POGO industry. This data comes from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. There are a total of 40,692 Filipino workers in this sector, according to their records. DOLE is working to complete the profiling for all workers soon.
He also shared details about DOLE’s strategy during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Wednesday. He mentioned that the department uses a structured plan whenever there are disruptions in the labor market. He explained that, as soon as DOLE notices any such disruptions, they begin the process of gathering information about the workers who are affected. This method helps them understand the situation better and respond to it more effectively. By profiling the workers early, DOLE can offer the necessary support and assistance during these challenging times.
The Latest Data
The latest reports provide details on the number of workers profiled in different regions. In Metro Manila, there were 19,754 workers who went through profiling. In Region III, also known as Central Luzon, 142 workers were included in the profiling process. Calabarzon had a total of 7,387 workers profiled, while Region VII, or Central Visayas, had 14 workers profiled. These workers were found to have an average salary ranging from P16,000 to P22,000. This data gives a clear picture of the earnings and the number of workers in these areas.
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