Duterte says making SEA Games tickets free up to organizers

MANILA, Philippines—The 2019 Southeast Asian Games organizers are the ones who will decide if they would heed the call to make tickets for the games free of charge, President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday.

“I am not the deciding authority, I have to defer to the organizers (on that matter),” Duterte told reporters in Malacañang.

Days before the biennial meet kicks off, the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas called on authorities to let the public watch the games free of charge.

Reports said weightlifting chief Monico Puentevella appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to make game tickets free “in the spirit of unity” and to “maximize homecourt advantage.”

The President also bared that he initially proposed to make the tickets free but the organizers, he said, appealed.”Ever since, ayoko lang magyabang dito, ever since nililibre ko lahat, but dito sabi ng organizers, wala tayong panggastos ‘yung miscellaneous expenses maybe, or a little money to go by,” Duterte said.

(Ever since I don’t intend to brag but ever since I want it to be free but the organizers said they need money for miscellaneous expenses and a little money to go by.)

“Pero kung ako libre lahat. Una-una mag linya ang Pilipino dun,” he added.

(If it’s up to me, it will be free. Filipinos will be the first ones in the line.)Earlier, Malacañang suggested that students be given a 50-percent discount to watch the games and support Filipino athletes.