Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said China has backlisted the Philippines, with tourists discouraged to go to the Philippines because of ''this particular problem of Pogo (Philippine Overseas Gaming Operators''.

''(Chinese) Ambassador Huang (Xilian) said that the Philippines now is part of a blacklist of tourist sites because they do not know if a tourist will be joining POGO operations and they don't know if their nationals who go to the Philippines will be safe from illegal activities being done by the triad, by the syndicates operating POGOs,'' said Zubiri in a hearing of the Senate ways and means committee Tuesday.

Zubiri and Huang met on Monday.

Zubiri said Huang told him that ''social costs are very high''. ''We wish that the Philippine government take action on this,'' added Zubiri, citing Huang.

Office of the Press Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the government is still waiting for an advisory from China regarding this.

''Once we receive it, then we will make the proper comment,'' said Garafil.

The senate president, quoting Huang, said Chinese President Xi Jinping, has asked the ''previous administration to shut this (Pogo) down because this is an illegal activity as far as we are concerned.''

''In China, we totally ban this. We are working with other governments to shut these games, these activities down. and it also provides criminality to the host country as what you have seen in your country recently,'' Zubiri said, citing Huang.

In a TV interview Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr said kidnapping cases were ''Pogo-related''. Since Sept. 15, Azurin said there are no more Pogo-related crimes.

Zubiri said: ''Is our country aiding and abetting and hosting an illegal activity in another country? That is the question that we must ponder and make a decision.'' DMS