POGO Ban would help expedite Philippines’ exit from global financial watchdog’s “gray list” related to money laundering

August 8, 2024July 30, 2024carlocarrasco

In relation to helping the Philippines recover from the many negative effects caused by Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), the declared nationwide ban on POGOs will help expedite the nation’s exit from the “gray list” of a global financial watchdog that has been monitoring jurisdictions for money laundering risks, according to a BusinessWorld news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…

THE RECENT BAN on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) would help expedite the country’s exit from a global financial watchdog’s “gray list” of jurisdictions under increased monitoring for money laundering risks, the central bank governor said.

“With the POGO ban, we do see a drop in money laundering, which should help us exit the gray list,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BPS) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. told BusinessWorld in a text message.

Last week, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ordered a total ban on all offshore gaming operations due to their ties to illicit activities such as financial scams, money laundering, prostitution and human trafficking.

Mr. Marcos directed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) to shutter all POGO facilities by the end of the year.

This comes after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June kept the Philippines in its gray list for a third straight year.

The global watchdog said the country still needs to address three remaining action items, one of which is “demonstrating that supervisors are using anti-money laundering and counterfinancing of terrorism (AML/CFT) controls to mitigate risks associated with casino junkets.”

Mr. Remolona earlier said the Philippines would likely exit the gray list by next year as it still needs to address the remaining deficiencies cited by the FATF.

From 2018 to 2023, the Philippines was among the top five countries in Southeast Asia with money laundering activities added over the five-year period, earlier data from Moody’s showed.

The number of money laundering events added in the Philippines jumped by 45% from 2022 to 2023, it said.

Chester B. Cabalza, founding president of Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said Mr. Marcos’ order to ban POGOs would encourage more “legitimate” investments to enter into the country.

“With the expected ban, the Philippines may be relieved with the gray list tag and re-strategize for fulfilling more legal and moral entertainment investments for the inclusive growth of the country,” he said via Facebook Messenger.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think improvements will be realized gradually over the next twelve months with the ban on POGOs in effect? Do you think that money laundering and crime related to POGOs will go down sharply?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

PAGCOR declares POGO operations in compounds officially prohibited, guidelines coming

July 12, 2024July 11, 2024carlocarrasco

With all the controversies about Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) and their connections with criminal activities going on, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) announced that POGOs are no longer allowed to operate within large spaces and compounds, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Wednesday said that it will no longer allow the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) within large spaces and compounds.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco made the announcement at a Senate hearing after he was asked by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian to make an assurance that there will be no POGO-linked crimes in the country.

“We’re coming out with certain guidelines. We’re already banning hubs. In the meantime that wala pa namang (there is no) order ng closure, this early I can inform everybody that we will not allow any hub existing or going to be applied for, we will not approve it anymore,” Tengco said.

According to the PAGCOR chief, POGO operations will now be “site specific” and “building specific” unlike in the POGO compounds in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga that were raided by authorities for alleged illegal activities within these establishments.

Tengco said he cannot assure that POGO will no longer commit crimes, but they will ensure that the 43 remaining licensed POGO firms will follow PAGCOR’s new guidelines and “enhancements.”

Further, Tengco said they will create teams that will monitor the POGO firms 24/7 in a bid to “deter” these criminal activities.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the PAGCOR still has a lot of explaining to do about the POGOs that remain operating in the country? Do you think PAGCOR should have prohibited POGOs from operating inside large places before? Are there several POGO operations – both big and small – present in your locality right now?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Controversial Bamban POGO linked with scam hub in Parañaque City?

May 31, 2024May 30, 2024carlocarrasco

Local authorities are investigating if the scam hub in Parañaque City is connected with the controversial raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac, according to a GMA Network news report. Take note that Senator Sherwin Gatchalian already called for a probe as he received complaints from residents of a particular Parañaque village.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

Authorities are looking into the possibility that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Bamban, Tarlac is connected to a recent human trafficking and online scamming bust in a village in Parañaque City.

According to a “24 Oras” report by Mav Gonzales on Wednesday, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) believes the 10 Chinese and the Filipino bodyguard arrested in the police operations may have escaped from the recently raided Bamban POGO hub.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who had called for a probe into the incident following complaints filed by the residents of the village, agreed with Pagcor.

“Itong mga sindikato umiikot lang sila (These syndicates just switch around),” he said.

The raid was launched on May 2 following complaints from homeowners, who said that the structures violated their 3-story regulations. They also said this was not the first raid connected to POGO inside their village.

“When we saw Bamban, the structures were so similar…the process of applying for stickers, IDs, and also constructions. Some are using already local identification, passports, birth certificates, driver’s license, postal ID [and] all these things. They can’t even speak Tagalog,” said a homeowner.

Below is the related GMA news video as well as a UNTV news video for you to watch. Multinational Village was specifically mentioned as the location of the recent raid.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more Chinese nationals committing illegal activities while doing business in the city? Is your village filled with Chinese nationals and new business establishments that were set up to cater to them? How many foreigners and local residents in your village are working in a POGO? Do you think the scam hub in Parañaque is linked with the controversial Bamban POGO as PAGCOR believes?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Raided Las Piñas City firm files complaint against PNP

July 24, 2023July 21, 2023carlocarrasco

The firm in Las Piñas City that got raided responded by filing an ejectment case against the Philippine National Police (PNP), according to a news report by GMA Network. Take note that this is the same firm that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) ordered to be shut down and there were foreign fugitives among those found during the raid (click here and here).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

A firm that was involved in a police raid in Las Piñas City filed an ejectment case against the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday over their alleged continued stay at the compound.

“We filed the case because PNP had been continuously occupying the compound which is a private property, even after the expiration of the search warrants on July 7, 2023,” Christian Vargas, the legal counsel of the Xinchuang Network Technology, told GMA News Online.

Vargas said this is a “dangerous practice” and is a violation of the company’s constitutional right as it is being deprived of its property without due process.

“The duty of the PNP is to uphold and enforce the law and not take the law into its own hands. Nakakatakot ito kasi maari itong maging precedent in taking possession of a private property by our authorities by virtue of a search warrant,” he said.

(The duty of the PNP is to uphold and enforce the law and not take the law into its own hands. This is scary because this may set the precedent in taking possession of private property by our authorities by virtue of a search warrant.)

According to Vargas, Xinchuang sent several demand letters to police authorities asking them to vacate the premises, but they refused.

“They refused to leave the premises and instead made use of the same as their detention and holding facility for the foreigners still detained inside,” he said.

Vargas said the case was filed before a Las Piñas metropolitan trial court and will be raffled off.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the PNP but has yet to receive a response as of posting time.

On June 27, authorities implemented a search warrant over an alleged human trafficking situation in the compound. Police reported that 1,534 Filipinos and 1,190 foreigners were rescued.

Vargas has denied allegations of human trafficking or illegal activities taking place at Xhinchuang. He said that the business of the company is legitimate.

Court grants writ of habeas corpus

Meanwhile, the Las Piñas regional trial court granted the petition of the suspects arrested during the raid to be removed from state custody, according to a “24 Oras” report by Saleema Refran.

“Ang sinabi ng korte sa kanyang order is that their detention, continued detention inside the compound is illegal and the police as well as all the other agencies which are there have no reason for them to be detained inside,” Vergara said.

(The court said in their order that their detention, their continued detention inside the compound is illegal, and the police as well as all the other agencies which are there have no reason for them to be detained inside.)

According to the lawyer, the foreign nationals will remain in the country to face their charges. The hearings for the writ of habeas corpus they filed are scheduled for next week.

The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) respects the court decision but said the “granting of the habeas corpus doesn’t necessarily follow that the case we have against these suspects is dismissed”.

“We respect the court’s decision. The granting of the habeas corpus doesn’t necessarily follow that the case we have against these suspects is dismissed. We will continue to fight until justice is served,” PNP-ACG Spokesperson Police Captain Michelle Sabino.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Do you think the PNP is at fault with regards to occupying the premises of the raided business? Do you think human trafficking really happened?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Cash incentives for 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games medalists to be awarded on July 20

July 13, 2023July 10, 2023carlocarrasco

Members of the Philippine Team who won medals in the 32^nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the 12 ASEAN Para Games (APG) will be awarded with the promised cash incentives by the national government on July 20, 2023, at Malacañang Palace, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. The cash incentives will be released in accordance to Republic Act Number 10699 and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., himself will be in attendance.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will present cash incentives to the medalists of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) and 12th ASEAN Para Games (APG) in a ceremony scheduled on July 20 at the Malacañan Palace.

“We are grateful for President Marcos’ decision to personally award the incentives to Team Philippines, an expression of his admiration to our national athletes and their unwavering passion and dedication for representing the country,” Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Richard Bachmann said in a statement on Monday.

The government cash incentives amounting to PHP74 million, including PHP14 million for Para Games medalists, is in accordance to Republic Act 10699, or the Expanded National Athletes and Coaches Incentives and Benefits Act.

Medalists in the SEAG will get PHP300,000 for gold winner, PHP150,000 (silver) and PHP60,000 (bronze), while for the ASEAN Para Games winners, the incentives are PHP150,000 (gold), PHP75,000 (silver) and PHP30,000 (bronze).

The cash bonuses will come from the monthly remittances of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) through the PSC’s National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).

“In the past, the PSC conducted two separate awarding for SEAG and APG medalists, but I believe it is more fitting to join the two for the President’s first-ever incentives awarding during his administration,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann will be joined by PSC Commissioners Matthew “Fritz” Gaston, Edward Hayco, Walter Francis Torres and Olivia “Bong” Coo during the awarding ceremony.

Also invited to the ceremony are Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Senate Committee on Sports Chairman Sen. Bong Go, House Committee on Youth and Sports Chairman Rep. Faustino Dy III, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Mayor Abraham Tolentino, and other sports executives and officials.

The Philippines won 58 golds, 85 silvers and 117 bronzes in the SEA Games to surpass its 52-70-105 haul in Vietnam last year, but remained fifth overall.

World champion Carlos Edriel Yulo bagged two gold and two silver medals for the gymnastics team, which also won two bronze medals.

In the ASEAN Para Games, the country collected 34 gold, 33 silver and 50 bronze medals to duplicate its fifth-place finish last year in Indonesia.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you inspired by what the Philippine Team athletes won in the recent SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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PAGCOR orders shutdown of raided POGO in Las Piñas City

July 11, 2023July 8, 2023carlocarrasco

In the latest turn of events related to the June 26 raid of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) in Las Piñas City, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) ordered the shutdown of the affected business joint, according to an Inquirer news report. This is the same POGO whose workers include a few foreign fugitives.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer.net news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has issued a cease and desist order against Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) service provider Xinchuang Network Technology Inc. (formerly known as Hong Tai), effectively shutting down its operations in Las Piñas City.

The Philippine National Police said it could now hasten the implementation of the warrants following Pagcor’s order to shut down Xinchuang, which police raided last week.

Police Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, chief of the PNP public information office, considered the Pagcor intervention “a welcome development” as this would enable police units to implement the five warrants to search, seize and examine data and two search warrants issued by Las Piñas Regional Trial Court against Xinchuang Network, one of the 111 Pogo service providers accredited by Pagcor.

PNP units led by the National Capital Region Police Office and Anti-Cybercrime Group are on the 10th day of its raid, which started on June 27, at the Xinchuang’s self-contained hub along Alabang-Zapote Road in Barangay Almanza Uno.

“When we implement search warrants, it is imperative that no other activities are being conducted in the area, because we want the operating elements to have complete control of the situation,” Maranan told reporters in Camp Crame on Friday, saying this would prevent tampering of evidence and escape of suspects.

“It is the obligation and responsibility, not only of the PNP, but of all government agencies that are involved, so that we can ensure that our Pogo industry is clean from committing illegal activities,” he added.

According to Maranan, 71 out of 138 seized safety deposit boxes have been opened as of Thursday, as part of the inventory managed by the Anti-Cybercrime Group and witnessed by representatives from the Anti-Money Laundering Council and barangay officials.

A total of 781 have been processed out of the 1,239 foreign workers rescued at the compound during the raid on June 27. All 1,534 Filipino workers have already been cleared and allowed to leave the premises.

7 fugitives caught – Seven fugitives—four Chinese and three Taiwanese nationals—were found to be working for Xinchuang, and turned over to the Bureau of Immigration for deportation.

“Hopefully we can complete the profiling of the foreign nationals and the implementation of the search warrants in the coming days,” Maranan said.

In a statement on Monday, Pagcor said it has already issued a show cause order to Xinchuang “to explain in detail its defenses against the allegations being faced by the company and why the state-run gaming regulatory firm should not cancel its certificate of accreditation and authority to operate.”

Pagcor also ordered Xinchuang to stop all its offshore gaming activities pending the completion of the investigation being conducted by the PNP.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you satisfied with the PAGCOR’s cease-and-desist order (CDO) on Xinchuang?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Crackdown on undocumented, overstaying POGO workers by the PNP

September 21, 2022September 20, 2022carlocarrasco

With all the media buzz and attention on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) related to crime (read my previous POGO post by clicking here), the Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed to do a crackdown on the foreign workers of POGOs which are estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. The crackdown is supposedly a part of security measures to combat different types of crime.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed on Monday, Sept. 19, to intensify the crackdown against hundreds of thousands of foreign workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) as part of the security measures against kidnapping and other criminal activities related to offshore gambling in the country.

Based on the initial estimate of the PNP from the data provided by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), there were at least 800,000 Chinese in the country. most of them easily entered the Philippines when POGO operations in the country were approved.

And based on the PNP data through its Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), the number of kidnapping cases steeply went up since 2017, most of them are POGO-related.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said the sad part of the POGO workers entry in the country in the past years is that they were not properly documented–attributing it to the privilege accorded to them wherein their visa and travel documents are approved after their arrival.

“There were an estimated 800,000 Chinese in the country and we do not know if that 800,000 are still documented. Maybe some of them are already undocumented that is why we are suggesting to the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) to furnish us the copy o the approved POGOs so that our crackdown would be easier,” said Azurin.

PNP officials earlier met with PAGCOR and BI officials to discuss the issues related to POGO operations in the country.

A few days ago, over 40 Chinese POGO workers were rescued from the clutches of their abductors while a number of Chinese were also arrested for involvement in kidnapping and other criminal activities.

On Saturday, the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered a closure of POGO in Angeles City in Pampanga.

“The reason why we engaged PAGCOR and BI and even DOJ (Department of Justice) is that we really need to put our acts together. We should share information together to monitor the entry of Chinese in the country,” said Azurin.

System of Monitoring

Azurin earlier disclosed that the PNP maintained a hands-off policy on POGO since they were told before not to meddle on POGO-issues unless there would be a crime that would be committed.

With the PNP being bashed on the social media in the past weeks, Azurin started training his eyes on POGO after learning that almost of kidnapping cases, some of them went viral, involved POGO workers.

He said there is a need to strictly monitor the entry and the status of POGO workers in the country as part of the peace and order.

Aside from BI intervention in the documentation process, Azurin said they also want the PAGCOR to regularly update them of the legal POGO operators in the country.

In this way, he explained that they would be able to locate the overstaying POGO workers in the country.

Azurin also recommended that all POGO workers must secure both police and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearances before they are allowed to work in the Philippines.

He issued the recommendation after they noticed that the government has no proper system in the documentation of POGIO workers.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Do you support the PNP’s crackdown on the undocumented and overstaying POGO workers all over the nation? Does your local community have lots of foreigners who are currently employed by POGOs? Do you think that some of the foreign employees of POGOs are fugitives from overseas? Whenever you see Chinese nationals physically present in your local community, do you often think about POGOs immediately?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

270 people apprehended in Parañaque City for online sabong

September 21, 2021September 20, 2021carlocarrasco

The latest Parañaque City crime news are here and not only was it about a relatively new form of gambling but it also involved a few hundred suspects! Two hundred and seventy suspects to be precise according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Parañaque City police apprehended on Saturday 270 individuals for playing online “sabong” (cockfight) and for failure to observe social distancing.

Prior to the suspects’ arrest, the police received information about mass gatherings inside the Roligon Mega Cockpit Arena on Quirino Avenue in Paranaque City, according to city police chief Col. Maximo Sebastian.

Sebastian said cops in the nearby police sub-station were immediately dispatched and found the 270 gamblers playing online sabong.

He said the suspects were immediately rounded up and given citation tickets for violation of the health protocols under the new quarantine alert system.

The city police chief said those who will be caught for the first offense will be fined P1,000, P3,000 second for the second offense, and P5,000 for the third offense.

Sebastian also said the management of the arena failed to show a permit to operate online sabong.

He said the owner of the arena claimed they have a permit from PAGCOR and that their online sabong was just a dry run.

The above report ended stating that according to the police, any form of gambling is illegal under the new alert level.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe the claim that a PAGCOR permit was really issued and that the online sabong was just a dry run or trial activity? How familiar are you with online sabong (AKA e-sabong)? Are there lots of people in your local community who engage in any form of gambling during this pandemic? Do you think that the criminal elements are building up illegal gambling all over Parañaque City?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: 20% discount for Philippine athletes and coaches confirmed

June 2, 2020June 1, 2020carlocarrasco

COVID-19 Crisis: 20% discount for Philippine athletes and coaches confirmed

As I write this, the Philippines is slowly taking steps to move its economy forward gradually now that community quarantine rules have eased more. This means more businesses are allowed to operate and this means getting more of their workforce back to work to earn much-needed income. It’s sometimes mind boggling how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from China turned into a pandemic which halted most societies and economies around the world.

For Philippine team athletes and coaches, times are hard as well. Very recently, news have been published that their allowances for this month will be cut by half! According to the Manila Standard report, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) board decided to push through with the reduction following a May 29 board meeting with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR). The remittance declared was reportedly P9 million for June 2020 which is a major drop compared to the P150.75 million PAGCOR remitted to PSC last March.

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) was reported to have been severely affected as a result of health-related measures and lockdown implemented nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It sure is hard for athletes and coaches to train and develop themselves. Truly this is terrible news. Sports events, both local and overseas, have gotten cancelled.

All is not lost, however, as the PSC announced that its athletes and coaches will enjoy the benefits of a 20% discount for their needs.

Below is an excerpt from the PNA.gov article with text italicized and colored blue for clarity.

On Friday night, the PSC said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued Revenue Regulation 13-2020, which paves the way for the discount clause to be fully implemented for all athletes.

“We have been looking forward to this and we are thankful that our athletes and coaches will finally enjoy the privilege they deserve,” said PSC chairman Butch Ramirez, whose organization has been working together with the BIR for the discount benefit to be fully enjoyed by local sportsmen.

The discount clause is part of Republic Act 10699, formally known as the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act”.

The discounts shall be applied to food, medicine, recreation centers, hotels, lodging establishments, and sports equipment purchases.

The PSC has already issued identification cards to national athletes, with booklets similar to those used by senior citizens for their own discounts, to follow.

With the reduced allowances and confirmed discount, the past week saw these really drastic announcements affecting the many athletes and coaches supported by the national government. Some things are won and some things are lost.

The COVID-19 crisis affected the private sector so much, it is expected that tax revenues on the part of the national government will be reduced on the short term at least. Think about all the many small businesses around the country that have closed down resulting job losses. Think about the national government’s efforts to support qualified people with cash assistance and other forms of relief.

Now think about the national athletes and coaches. They don’t just need cash to train efficiently for future sports events. They need private sponsorship, new sports equipment, solutions to their current problems, etc.

For more on Philippine sports and COVID-19 Crisis coverage, come back here soon.

Meanwhile, please check out my special features of 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) gold medalists John Chicano and Kim Mangrobang.

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COVID-19 Crisis: 20% discount for Philippine athletes and coaches confirmed

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