MANILA --The Philippines’ crackdown on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) has become a focal point in the region’s fight against human trafficking, as highlighted during the 2nd Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian National Anti-Trafficking Committees on Tuesday.

The event, hosted by the Philippines Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), gathered key representatives from Southeast Asian countries to address the escalating issue of trafficking for forced criminality, with POGOs at the center of discussions.

POGOs have long been suspected of being involved in trafficking operations, bringing individuals from neighboring countries, particularly China and Southeast Asia, to the Philippines under false pretenses and forcing them into illegal online activities, including scams.

In his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a ban on POGOs, a move aimed at addressing the growing concern that these operations were fueling trafficking networks.

Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty, who convened the meeting, pointed to the Philippines’ improved economy and POGO activities as reasons the country has increasingly become a destination for trafficked individuals. He emphasized the need for Southeast Asian countries to work together to curb trafficking for forced criminality, which has become a regional problem.

“Unintended consequences yun pagkakaroon ng biktima dahil sa economic progress sa Pilipinas dati rati di naman tayo gaano kaunlad kaya mga kababayan natin pumupunta sa ibang bansa upang mag hanap buhay,” Ty said.

The meeting brought together representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, focusing on how the Southeast Asian community could confront trafficking for forced criminality. The delegates explored ways to strengthen cooperation, share critical information more quickly, and launch joint operations to dismantle trafficking rings, many of which have links to operations like POGOs.

This regional meeting builds on the foundation laid during the 8th Manila International Dialogue in 2022, where Southeast Asian countries began exploring strategies to develop a regional victim identification and referral system. At this year’s gathering, the delegates agreed to continue pushing forward with collaborative efforts, underscoring the urgency of addressing forced criminality linked to human trafficking.

The following key agreements emerged from the 2024 meeting:

• • The Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian National Anti-Trafficking Committees will become an annual event.
• • A mechanism for expedited information sharing, whether formal or informal, will be explored.
• • Joint operations to combat trafficking across borders will be considered.
• • Each country will designate a Focal Person to maintain active communication and coordination at the regional level.
• • A victim-centered, rights-based approach to victim identification and referral will be developed.
• • Domestic laws related to forced criminality will be updated to address emerging challenges.
• • Capacity-building programs for justice actors across the region will be enhanced.

Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano noted a positive shift in the wake of the government’s crackdown on POGOs.

He observed that while larger POGO operations are breaking down into smaller entities, this could signal the beginning of the end for these operations in the Philippines, which have been implicated in human trafficking and forced criminality cases.

“Aalis na rin talaga sila kasi di feasible eh in terms of revenue in terms of profit for these criminal syndicates it’s not longer worth it,” he said.