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Sen. Win Gatchalian, co-chairperson of the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Official Development Assistance (COCODA), asks the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to explain why the government loan availment rate is only around 63 percent - an indication of delayed government projects. During the second COCODA hearing, Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Gatchalian pointed out that multilateral development banks penalize the borrower, in this case the government, if the loan is not 100 percent withdrawn. “So, how come it is only 63 percent? Loans are available but only 63 percent are availed?” Gatchalian asked. In response, NEDA Assistant Secretary Jonathan Uy said the implementation of government projects had been impacted by the pandemic, given the mobility restrictions. He said the Department of Transportation had the largest backlog of loan availment worth US$2 billion. This represents 53 percent of the total backlog of US$3.97 billion, according to the NEDA official. Bibo Nueva España, Senate PRIB

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SENATE

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<p><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"><span color="" UI="" white-space:=""></span></span>MANILA — A Senate executive session has revealed the deepening influence of law-breaking Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the Philippines as Chinese syndicates are now said to be working with local criminals, a lawmaker said on Thursday.</p><p>Wednesday&#x27;s Senate executive session with security and law enforcement agencies discussed confidential information about illegal POGOs and their possible connection with <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/4/guo-s-camp-to-file-motion-to-lift-mayor-s-suspension-1702">suspended</a> Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/5/after-executive-session-hontiveros-more-convinced-guo-has-links-to-illegal-pogos-1935" id="isPasted">READ: After executive session, Hontiveros more convinced Guo has links to illegal POGOs</a><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr"></span></span><br/></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">&quot;Ito ang nakakatakot, pati &#x27;yung local crime syndicates natin ay nakikipagtrabaho na sila sa mga local crime syndicates, so meron sila mga foreign ito karamihan ito mga Chinese mga sindikato ito at meron na silang koneksyon ngayon sa mga lokal na sindikato,&quot; said Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, </span><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;display:inline !important">who has long been pushing for the banning of POGOs.</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">&quot;Kinabahan ako, kinilabutan ako, kasi ibig sabihin lumalalim na ang galamay ng POGO,&quot; </span><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(65, 65, 65);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">he told TeleRadyo Serbisyo. </span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">&quot;Kampante ang ating law enforcement agencies… na naging &#x27;enabler&#x27; ng POGO si Guo at pagpasok nitong POGO dito sa ating bansa. Merong ebidensiya ang mga enforcement agencies pagdating diyan.&quot;</span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0)">(I was frightened, I was terrified, because it meant that POGO&#x27;s tentacles were getting deeper. Our law enforcement agencies are confident... that Guo became the &#x27;enabler&#x27; of POGO and the entry of this POGO into our country. The enforcement agencies have evidence when it comes to that.)</span></div><p>Guo has been accused of having ties with illegal POGOs in her town that <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/6/4/49-pulis-sa-bamban-inalis-sa-pwesto-kaugnay-ng-pogo-raid-821" id="isPasted">had been raided for criminal activities</a> such as scam operations and human trafficking. She has since denied the claims and even <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/5/20/exclusive-bamban-mayor-guo-says-she-will-ban-pogos-2011">vowed to shut their operations</a>.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/10/-pogo-politics-suspected-china-ties-of-tarlac-town-mayor-alarms-solon-1016">READ: &#x27;POGO-politics&#x27;: Suspected China ties of Tarlac town mayor alarms solon</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/3/dating-staff-pinabulaanang-konektado-si-alice-guo-sa-ilegal-na-pogo-1807">READ: Dating staff pinabulaanang konektado si Alice Guo sa ilegal na POGO</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>POGO BAN</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Gatchalian said they urged the national security agencies to recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the banning of POGOs in the Philippines as soon as possible.</p><p>&quot;Pag lumalim nang lumalim ang ugat nito napakahirap nang bunutin sa ating bansa,&quot; Gatchalian said of POGOs, adding that law enforcement agencies agreed to stop their operations.</p><p>He said a representative from the National Security Council also agreed to halt POGOs&#x27; business in the country.</p><p>The lawmaker said the benefits of keeping POGO operations, which he said remit P8 billion a year to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), outweighed their social costs.</p><p>&quot;Panawagan ko sa Pangulo, i-ban na itong POGO, &#x27;wag tingnan ang isang side lang, &#x27;yung kita, kundi &#x27;yung kabuuan na nakakasira sa ating lipunan,&quot;  he said, noting that the ban on POGOs is just awaiting Marcos&#x27; signature.</p><p>(I call on the President to ban this POGO, don&#x27;t only look at one side, the income, but the whole thing that is destroying our society.)</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3052652"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><div><strong>SUSPENSION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, Guo&#x27;s counsel Stephen David told ANC on Thursday that their camp did not attend the Senate executive session because they were not invited.</p><p>David said they will challenge the Ombudsman&#x27;s preventive suspension of Guo, saying he believes it can be lifted because there is &quot;no strong evidence of guilt.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Ano ba ang kaso niya? Nag-issue siya ng mayor’s permit, ano ang kaso doon? Compliant naman ‘yung binigyan mo. Lahat naman ng mayor trabaho nila mag-issue ng business permit kung compliant ‘yung applicant,&quot; David said, referring to Guo&#x27;s issuance of permit to Zun Yuan Technology, Inc., which operated an illegal POGO in Bamban town.</p><p>(What is her case? She issued a mayor&#x27;s permit, what is the case there? The firm you issued the permit is compliant. Mayors&#x27; job is to issue a business permit if the applicant is compliant.)</p><p>&quot;Zun Yuan had a Pagcor license kaya nga nag-issue siya ng mayor’s permit and I am submitting that to the Office of the Ombudsman to show the office that wala naman siyang choice kundi i-grant ‘yung mayor’s permit,&quot; he said.</p><p>(Zun Yuan had a Pagcor license that&#x27;s why she issued a mayor&#x27;s permit, and I am submitting that to the Office of the Ombudsman to show the office that she has no choice but to grant the mayor&#x27;s permit.)</p>

<p>A Senate executive session has revealed the deepening influence of POGOs in the Philippines as Chinese syndicates are now said to be working with local criminals — a situation one lawmaker described as terrifying.</p>

A Senate executive session has revealed the deepening influence of POGOs in the Philippines as Chinese syndicates are now said to be working with local criminals — a situation one lawmaker described as terrifying.

'Kinilabutan ako': 'Ties' of Chinese syndicates to local criminals revealed in POGO executive session

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'Kinilabutan ako': 'Ties' of Chinese syndicates to local criminals revealed in POGO executive session

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 06, 2024 11:57 AM PHT

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Updated Jun 06, 2024 12:54 PM PHT

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