Photo credit: BI

With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. dropping the hammer on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) isn’t wasting any time kicking out foreign nationals involved in illegal operations.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado made it clear that swift deportation is the agency’s top priority, addressing concerns about the use of tickets with connecting flights. “The longer they stay in the country waiting for schedules, the longer the government shoulders the cost of their detention,” Viado explained. “We take whatever is available because our priority is to send them out of the country at the soonest possible time.”

For a quick exit, deportees need three key documents: a valid passport or travel document, an NBI clearance (to confirm they have no pending cases), and an outbound ticket. To speed things up, the BI’s Deportation and Implementation Unit has teamed up with the NBI to issue clearances within just one day.

“We all want the same thing—for them to leave our country as quickly as possible,” Viado stressed.

The BI pointed to a case back in January where a group of deportees was successfully sent home in just two weeks, proving their commitment to making deportations as fast as possible. Viado assured that they’re continuously improving the process. “If we can do it fast, we will find ways to do it even faster.”

With the government tightening its grip on illegal POGO operations, it looks like overstaying foreign nationals won’t be sticking around for long.