A newly filed bill aims to curb the growing problem of ticket scalping by imposing severe penalties on those who resell event tickets at inflated prices.
Senate Bill No. 2873, or the Anti-Ticket Scalping Act, seeks to protect concertgoers by imposing fines of up to PHP 500,000 and imprisonment for up to three years against those found guilty of ticket scalping, including individuals and corporate entities.
Sen. Mark Villar, the proponent of the bill, emphasized that the measure will give fans the right to purchase tickets at reasonable prices, ensuring fans can access entertainment at reasonable prices without fear of price gouging.
“Inihain po natin ang panukalang batas na ito upang matigil na o masugpo ang lumalalang scalping sa bansa na sumasamantala ng ating mga kababayang concert goers o avid fans,” Villar said.
“Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers,” he added.
SB 2873 would prohibit unauthorized individuals from offering, selling, or reselling tickets at prices more than 10% higher than their original value.
In addition to ticket resellers, the measure also targets those operating large-scale ticket scalping activities, imposing fines and imprisonment.
“Bilang prevention measure, ire-require na rin ang mga event ticketing, event production and event service entities na mag-publish or mag-post ng reminders against scalping sa kanilang premises or websites,” Villar explained.
The bill also mandates event organizers and ticketing entities to implement internal policies to prevent such activities.
Furthermore, government agencies like the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and law enforcement bodies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will be authorized to file complaints, making it easier to take legal action against scalpers.
Additionally, corporate entities found involved in scalping can be held accountable, along with their directors, officers, and employees.
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