BAGUIO CITY, Benguet — Unknown perhaps to the authorities, the closure of operations of all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) has severely affected the economy well-being of the municipality of Santa Ana in Cagayan, where the interactive gaming actually started in the early 2000s.

According to Santa Ana municipal mayor Nelson Robinion, the ban on POGOs and the closure of internet gaming facilities is expected to pull down his town’s economy, with up to 2,000 jobs and livelihood opportunities lost.
"A majority of the workers, including those who have relocated to the town, are facing uncertainties as the job market is having difficulty accommodating them," Robinion pointed out.

Earlier, Malacañan had ordered the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), which oversees the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport in Santa Ana, to comply with Executive Order 74, which effectively banned all POGOs in the country.

CEZA was mandated to revoke all POGO licenses within its jurisdiction and ensure total cessation of operations.

Former CEZA public relations CONSULTANT Dindo Danao noted that the ecozone was Asia’s first regulated jurisdiction for interactive gaming established in 2003, and it introduced the 'i-gaming' to attract foreign investments by licensing offshore gaming operators, making Santa Ana a brand for regulated gaming.
“It was a unique marketing strategy,” Danao cited, adding that the CEZA hosted dozens of operators and helped fund the construction of an international airport and a cyber village.

“In 2016, the landscape changed dramatically after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PagCor) launched its POGO framework and offered operators with a more favorable condition,” Danao recalled.

This move prompted majority of companies to relocate, leaving CEZA struggling to retain its market share.
“Once a thriving industry providing jobs in customer service, logistics, security and support roles, POGOs departure left thousands of Santa Ana residents unemployed,” he lamented.