To be fair to these businesses, we gave them 1 YEAR, 2023, to wind up their operations pursuant to Ordinance 55 s. 2022.

(1) Some POGOs were closed during my first term. (The last one, registered as a “BPO”, was raided by the NBI in 2022.)

(2) As for the E-GAMES/E-BINGOS, their permits expired last December 31, 2023. We gave them a chance, more than 1 month, to peacefully close on their own. HOWEVER, in blatant disregard of the law and local government regulations, 18 of them continued operating without any permits until this February.

Last Friday (Feb 9, 2024) I gave the order to our BPLD, with police assistance, to shut them down.

Pinasa natin ang Ordinansa para ipagbawal ang mga establisyementong ito dahil wala naman silang magandang naidudulot sa lipunan. Ang dami nang nalulong, meron pang nagpakamatay at kaso ng HUMAN TRAFFICKING na kaugnay nito. Bukod pa ito sa lagayan na nangyayari sa konseho noon.

Kung sasabihin nila na may “taxes” silang binabayaran, ay hindi rin naman ganun kalaki ang mawawala sa atin.

#UmaagosAngPagasa #Wheel

[Note: hindi po kasama ang mga PCSO outlets na passive gaming gaya ng Lotto sa ordinansa.]