Gatchalian presses probe into POGO links to crimes

SENATE probers, acting on a resolution filed by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, are on track to mount an inquiry into the “rising involvement” of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in various crimes, as well as accredited service providers linked to human trafficking and kidnap-for-ransom.

Despite efforts by authorities to arrest such incidents, Gatchalian said the upcoming inquiry is meant to ferret out further means for decisively stamping out the crimes and violence associated with rogue POGO operators.

“The increase in POGO-related crimes necessitates a close review of the country’s POGO policies and assess whether the economic benefits still outweigh the social costs related to the incidents involving POGO companies and their accredited service providers,” Gatchalian said, as he filed Senate Resolution No. 679.

The enabling resolution noted, “The chief of the Philippine National Police even commented that there is a possibility that there may be some more foreign fugitives employed in POGO-related operations with practice or modus operandi of hiding in POGO hubs,” the Gatchalian Resolution added.

A s provided in the resolution, Gatchalian noted that the entanglement of POGOs in crimes has remained unabated and there is a need to review the power of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming in Las Piñas City, which led to the rescue of 2,724 alleged victims of human trafficking, 1,524 of them are Filipinos. Gatchalian noted that Xinchuang has already been involved in December 2021 in a serious illegal detention case in Tambo, Parañaque City. He cited another police raid that was also conducted at a POGO hub in Clark Sun Valley in Pampanga in early May, resulting in the rescue of 1,090 human trafficking victims. Additionally, on June 27, an entrapment operation led to the arrest of three Chinese nationals, some of who were former POGO employees, for their involvement in torture, kidnap-for-ransom, and illegal possession of firearms. Butch Fernandez

Corp. (PAGCOR) to regulate the industry as well as the capability of other law enforcement agencies to abate the commission of POGO-related crimes in the country.

According to Gatchalian, there is a dire need to take immediate action against the criminal incidents associated with POGOs.

He conveyed concerns that “failing to address these issues would not only greatly harm the people, but also constitute a neglect of duty” towards international treaties and conventions that the Philippines has signed or joined.

Gatchalian was referring to the raid conducted on June 26 on the premises of Xinchuang Network Technology Inc.

Rec to said the newly signed law “was written largely faithful to the specs of the proponents.”

W hat Congress added “were safety features against abuse and misuse of funds, and higher qualifications for those on the driver’s seat.”

He urged “appointing authorities” to get “the best and the brightest” in running what is “the republic’s sovereign fund” that will be used to finance projects “we need today while it earns so that it can fund future ones.”

For his part, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez lauded President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s decision to insulate MIF from politics.

Marcos bared that he rejected proposals for him or the Secretary of Finance to chair the MIF, saying that it must be run by competent and independent financial managers to insulate

“With competent managers of proven track record and unquestioned integrity running the MIF, I am confident that it would eventually provide significant contributions to widen our fiscal space and finance projects that would create jobs and uplift the lives of our people,” Romualdez said.

Following the signing of RA 11954, Malacañang said the stage is now set for the preparation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the creation of the MIC, which will be the sole vehicle for mobilizing and utilizing the MIF for investments.

As envisioned in the law, the fund will be invested in a wide range of assets, including foreign currencies, fixedincome instruments, domestic and foreign corporate bonds, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and highimpact infrastructure projects, and projects related to sustainable development.

DTI inks small business registration pact with QC

THE Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI) has inked an agreement with the Quezon City local government unit (LGU) to integrate DTI’s Business Name Registration System (BNRS) with QC LGU’s business permit application system to lessen documentary burden for those intending to start a business.

Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo

E. Pascual and Quezon City Mayor Josefina Belmonte on Monday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DTI and the Quezon City government to integrate DTI’s BNRS with Quezon City LGU’s Online Unified Business Permit Application System (OUBPAS).

DTI proposed the integration, which it said aims to further streamline the procedures and requirements of LGUs through the automatic verification of the BNRS.

With this, the trade department said the submission of the Business Name Registration (BNR) certificate to the LGU would no longer be required, which consequently lessens documentary burden for those intending to start a business.

Pascual said the Quezon City government is the first LGU that agreed to the DTI’s proposal to integrate the two systems. However, Pascual said more cities are lined up for the integration.

“With this, we thank Mayor Joy Belmonte for partnering with us in making doing business in Quezon City easier. We reached out to several cities to propose this system integration initiatives and we are happy that more are scheduled in the pipeline,” the DTI chief said.

According to DTI, the MOA covers data sharing and system integration technical provisions between the DTI and Quezon City government. The agency also noted that the “simplified” process and automatic verification is aligned with the objectives of Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) law.

Under the MOA, the DTI said it is committed to provide all data and information not otherwise privileged or confidential, as enumerated in the existing Application Programming Interface (API) Document relative to business name registration. The trade department also has to work closely with the LGU regarding the customization of its technical specification and requirements and crosscheck the veracity of data and information relating to business name registration appearing in its system with that of the LGU.

Moreover, DTI has to report to the LGU the business establishments whose business name registration has expired as appearing in DTI’s system for appropriate action.

W ith this, the trade chief assured the public that the DTI and the Quezon City government shall make sure that all sensitive personal information maintained by the government, its agencies, and instrumentalities “shall be secured through the use of the most appropriate standards recognized by the information and communications technology industry.”

A t the National Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Summit last Tuesday in Manila, Pascual emphasized that to register businesses, “they don’t have to come to any office of the DTI. They can do it online. We have the Business Name Registration System. It takes only 8 minutes to register a business name if you are a single proprietorship.”

Andrea E. San Juan