Poe: Less text scams after PBBM's POGO ban declaration

MANILA – Text scams have diminished since President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared a total ban on all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

Senator Grace Poe said there will still be scam messages from individuals or firms other than POGOs but the President's declaration during his third State of the Nation Address on July 22 was already a "large step forward."

"So, the President's words that legal and illegal POGOs are no longer allowed somehow made a big impact at least when it comes to these scams that we are receiving," Poe said in a manifestation at the plenary.

Poe then urged her colleagues to support a measure that will totally ban POGOs in the country.

"I think it will be also wise for us to have legislation, to finally pass the banning, to finally make it in writing, make it a law that no legal or illegal POGOs will be allowed to harm our country," she said.

Senator Joel Villanueva recently filed Senate Bill No. 2752 seeking to repeal the law taxing POGOs and permanently ban their licenses.

President Marcos signed into law Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act, authored and sponsored by Poe, on Oct. 10, 2022, but the law has not succeeded in curbing scam messages. (PNA)