A lawmaker has proposed converting abandoned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hubs into student dormitories to help ease the housing crisis.
Photo shows one of the buildings of Lucky South 99, the operator of the POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga. Its alleged incorporator, Cassandra Li Ong, was recently arrested in Indonesia along with former Bamban Mayor Alice Guo who was recently charged for qualified trafficking. Photo by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission.
During a budget deliberation on September 18, Representative Janette Garin said POGO facilities, particularly in Central Luzon, could provide much-needed accommodation for students.
“It’s not applicable all over the country, but for Region 3, napakaganda talaga na ‘yung mga POGO hub na mga scam hubs na na-discover ay makuha ng gobyerno at gawing extension campuses as well as dormitories ng ating karapat-dapat na estudyante [It’s not applicable all over the country, but for Region 3, it would be great if the POGO hubs, which were discovered to be scam hubs, could be taken over by the government and turned into extension campuses as well as dormitories for our deserving students],”Garin said.
The lawmaker cited the financial struggles that students endure due to high rental costs, as the private sector controls dormitory and boarding house fees.
“Actually ang isang pinaka challenging na gastusin ng isang estudyante ay ‘yung boarding house, ‘yung dormitory, especially so that this is mostly provided by the private sector and hindi nakokontrol ‘yung presyo, ‘yung bayarin [Actually, one of the most challenging expenses for a student is the cost of a boarding house or dormitory, especially since these are mostly provided by the private sector and the prices and fees are not regulated],” she explained.
Representative France Castro of the ACT Teachers Partylist agreed with Garin’s suggestion, but noted that th mo needs further studies.
In July, the Department of Social Welfare and Development proposed a similar idea to repurpose raided scam hubs as shelters for homeless and rescued women and children.
The House has been investigating the illegal operations of POGOs in the country in aid of legislation.
