Danniell Domingo

Filipino and foreign workers affected by the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) ban have been offered opportunities to find new jobs at the two-day job fair by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), preventing the risk of long-term unemployment for the workers.

Photo Courtesy of Asia Gaming Brief.

From Nov. 19 to 20 at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, nearly 3,000 job vacancies from an initial count of 16 local employers were up for grabs, the DOLE- National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) announced on Facebook.

DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma highly encouraged POGO workers to participate in the job fair, which is part of the DOLE Action Plan and Transition Project (Project DAPAT).

“We warmly invite our POGO workers to join and participate in the job fair… We appeal and encourage their respective companies to allow them the time off so they can take advantage of the opportunity to find suitable jobs for a smooth and just transition,” Laguesma said.

Local employers offered workers a wide range of jobs in sectors such as business process outsourcing, retail and sales, food services, accommodation, transport, construction and logistics.

Project DAPAT aims to support displaced workers by helping them find alternative employment through DOLE’s initiative.

The project was the agency’s response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, following the imposed total POGO ban during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July.

Last Oct. 10, DOLE also held simultaneous job fairs in Parañaque City and Makati City for displaced POGO workers, in which it was found to have a low turnout of participating displaced workers.

Some who attended were discovered to be non-POGO employees or individuals whose contract had ended with their previous employers.

In both cities, 340 workers registered for the event, and 33 jobseekers were hired on the spot.