Philippines to review visa-free entry for Chinese travellers over fears of POGO revival

The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will investigate whether the country's new visa-free entry scheme for Chinese citizens is being exploited to bring back illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) activity, according to a statement from the Presidential Palace.

The review follows DFA raids on suspected illegal POGO hubs, which left 101 foreign nationals slated for deportation. Of that group, 82 are Chinese citizens who entered the country under the visa-free arrangement. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said she had raised concerns with the DFA about possible negative effects of the policy, in particular whether it was helping facilitate criminal activity.

POGOs were originally meant to turn the Philippines into a base for licensed offshore gaming, but the sector was widely used as a cover for illegal operations. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. banned the industry effective January 2027, citing a sharp rise in crimes including human trafficking, kidnappings and scams.

The investigation comes while policymakers are weighing an expansion of the visa-free programme. The current 14-day arrangement for Chinese travellers applies at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said last month that she hoped to add further gateways, such as the Clark Freeport Zone, after a significant rise in arrivals from China in 2026.

Chinese visitors have long been an important part of Philippine tourism, with many travelling to gamble. The Department of Tourism hopes wider visa-free access will help the country reach its 2026 target of 6.4 million to 6.8 million international visitors. In the first eight months of the year the Philippines received 4.42 million visitors, a slight increase on the same period last year. China was the fourth-largest source market, with more than 300,000 arrivals, or about 7% of the total.

The outcome of the DFA's review could therefore affect both efforts to prevent a POGO resurgence and tourism plans that rely on Chinese arrivals.