SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday, June 15, called for the immediate passage of his proposed anti-scalping measure following widespread reports of BTS concert tickets being resold at exorbitant prices.
The senator, who chaired the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, authored and sponsored Senate Bill No. 1989, or the Anti-Ticket Scalping Act, which aims to explicitly ban ticket scalping and protect consumers’ rights.
Pangilinan, who expressed concern over several reports that reached his office from frustrated concertgoers, said that ticket scalping places an unfair burden on Filipino fans eager to attend the highly anticipated event.
“Batay sa mga nakarating na reports sa ating opisina, halos isang dekada na naghihintay ang BTS fans na magkaroon muli ng concert dito sa atin. Hindi tama na pagsamantalahan ang pananabik at paghihintay na ito ng mga scalpers,” he said.
According to social media posts by BTS’s Filipino fans, who refer to themselves as ARMY, tickets for the sought-after BTS World Tour Arirang Concert next year are being resold at such exorbitant prices ranging from P30,000 to P90,000 each.
VIP Soundcheck tickets for the March 2027 event are priced at P25,000 each, while tickets for the Bleachers 2 section are at P7,500 each.
The proposed anti-scalping legislation seeks to deter abusive resale practices by imposing penalties on individuals and entities that resell tickets beyond a regulated price threshold.
Penalties for ticket scalping under the proposed measure will be as follows: P100,000 or imprisonment of six months, or both, for the first offense; P250,000 or imprisonment of one year, or both, for the second offense; and P500,000 or imprisonment of three years, or both, for the third offense.
The measure also aims to promote greater accountability among ticketing platforms and event organizers through enhanced monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
“Nagpapakahirap ang mga tunay na fans na ipunin ang pambili ng mga tickets na ito. Nagpapakahirap sila na mag-queue sa mga ticketing platforms para makabili,” the senator said. “Lumalaban sila nang tama at patas, pero ninanakaw ng mga scalper ang oportunidad nilang makita ang mga iniidolo nila.”
The senator urged fellow lawmakers to pass the measure and work toward its immediate enactment, citing the increasing prevalence of online ticket reselling and the need for updated regulations in the digital marketplace.
BTS’ World Tour Arirang Concert is scheduled on March 13 and 14, 2027 at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan. The event is expected to draw in a crowd of 25,000 attendees per show.
The last time the Korean superstars were in the Philippines was in 2017.
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