Claire Castro —PHOTO FROM PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro on Thursday vowed swift action on the alleged resurgence of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos), two months since its total ban took effect.
At a Palace briefing, Castro was asked for a comment on Sen. Risa Hontiveros’s concern on the return of Pogos, which just allegedly reinvented themselves into other scam operations.
“Makikipag-ugnayan po tayo sa ating mga ahensiya na dapat na tumugis kung mayroon pa pong mga POGOs dito na siyang nagtatrabaho, nag-o-operate ng walang lisensiya. Obligasyon po ng gobyerno na tugisin ang mga ito dahil sila po ay iligal. Makakaasa po kayo ng mabilisang aksiyon dito,” she said.
(We will coordinate with the relevant agencies responsible for tracking down any remaining POGOs that are operating without a license. It is the government’s obligation to go after them because they are illegal. You can expect swift action on this matter.)
Castro also said the government will further work on the crackdown on text scam operators.
SIM Card Registration Act amendments
Asked whether Malacañang will push for amendments to the SIM Card Registration Act to stop text scams, Castro said there is no discussion on that matter yet.
“But as a lawyer, kailangan po talaga na magkaroon ng amyenda, especially doon sa SIM card registration. Kailangan po na ang pag-register dito, katulad po kapag kayo ay kumukuha ng driver’s license—personal po kayong pumupunta,” she pointed out.
(But as a lawyer, there really needs to be an amendment, especially to the SIM card registration. The registration process should be similar to when you apply for a driver’s license—you have to appear in person.)