Anti-ticket scalping pushed

SENATOR Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan renewed his calls for the passage of the Anti-Ticket Scalping Bill following the high resale prices of a Korean boy group’s concert tickets for P30,000 to P90,000, pushing for stronger regulations in the digital marketplace.

In a press statement, Mr. Pangilinan raised concerns over the “exorbitant” prices imposed by resellers on the tickets, noting that the measure could address the abusive resale practices by penalizing scalpers from P100,000 to P500,000.

“It is not right for the scalpers to take advantage of the fans’ eagerness,” Mr. Pangilinan said in Filipino following reports of BTS World Tour Arirang Concert ticket scalping. “These scalpers are stealing their chances of seeing their idols.

Original prices of the tickets for the BTS show, scheduled for March 13 and 14, 2027 in Bulacan, range from P7,500 to P25,000.

On March 17, Mr. Pangilinan filed the Senate Bill No. 1989 aiming to promote accountability across ticketing platforms and is pending second reading.

Under the measure, violators may also face imprisonment of six months to three years. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel