MANILA, Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday expressed support for Senator Risa Hontiveros’ proposal to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) but suggested a drastic alternative by imposing a 10,000 percent tax on them.
During the Senate’s deliberation on the “CREATE MORE” bill on August 28, 2024, Cayetano proposed the steep tax hike as an effective means to eliminate POGOs.
“Would it be a remedy to put an absurd amount of tax amending the tax law… putting a 10,000 percent tax on POGOs which will effectively ban it?” he questioned.
Hontiveros, who backed the idea, had earlier proposed an amendment to Section 28 of the bill, which was introduced by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
Her amendment aims to repeal the existing tax regulations on POGOs.
However, Cayetano, a staunch opponent of all forms of gambling, pointed out that simply repealing the tax law would not be enough to ban the operations.
“If we repeal it, we’re not banning POGOs, we’re actually taking out the tax from the POGOs,” Cayetano explained, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive solution.
Cayetano also addressed the broader implications of both repealing taxes and imposing extremely high tax rates on offshore activities, urging his colleagues to find a definitive resolution.
“There’s no argument with the intent, and I’d like to thank Senator Risa… Let’s find a final solution [to this] and put it into the law,” he concluded.