At least 9,000 former Chinese POGO workers are still stranded in the Philippines, with law enforcement hindered.

The President of the Philippines' Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) recently stated at a House hearing that despite President Marcos's explicit ban on POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), there are still about 9,000 to 10,000 former Chinese POGO workers stranded within the Philippines. Due to reasons such as lost passports and cramped detention spaces, law enforcement and deportation efforts have come to a halt.

PAOCC Vice Chairman Gilbert Cruz pointed out that the overcrowded detention facilities have forced a pause in law enforcement, leaving a large number of undocumented Chinese nationals unable to be expelled from the country. Congressman Barbers expressed concerns that these individuals "wandering the streets" could pose a hidden threat to national security, potentially including spies or criminals, and called for authorities to expedite the process.

According to the Bureau of Immigration, after the Department of Labor revoked the work permits of about 15,000 former POGO employees, their work visas were uniformly downgraded to tourist visas with a validity of six months. Due to the lack of a unified database, law enforcement agencies find it difficult to track their visa status, residence locations, or involvement in illegal activities.

Additionally, the chaotic visa issuance mechanism has been criticized by legislators. Currently, visas are issued by multiple agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Economic Zones, and the Retirement Authority, without integrated information, leading to regulatory failures.

Overall, the Philippines is facing a deportation dilemma intertwined with ineffective policy implementation, a lack of regulatory systems, and humanitarian realities.