Tickets for all the sporting events in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games are now for free.

Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) chairman and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano made the announcement Friday, a day after Senate Committee on Sports chairperson Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go suggested that it would better if it would be given free to the public to attract bigger crowd.

Cayetano, however, said no free tickets will be given for sporting events like volleyball, basketball and football as tickets for those events were already sold out.

Cayetano said Phisgoc would also release 10,000 free tickets for the closing ceremonies to be held at the Athletics Stadium of the New Clark City (NCC) in Capas, Tarlac on 11 December.

“As of today, upon the instruction of the President, we will release 10,000 tickets to the public,” Cayetano said.

Aside from the 10,000 tickets, a few thousand more will also be given to provinces around the NCC such as Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan and

other venues like Tagaytay, Calatagan, Angeles, San Fernando, Subic and some areas in Metro Manila.

According to Phisgoc, they would give a maximum of two tickets per person and they must present their valid ID to their local government units (LGU). Announcements would be made by the LGUs.

Those who already bought tickets, meanwhile, could not get a refund and would be considered as “contribution” to national athletes.

“Well, that would be their contribution,” he said.

“That’s why we’re making the closing ceremonies free to the public because the opening is already sold out. But actually, even if they have already secured their tickets they can still use it and would be given good seating location.”

Former Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his generosity and giving Filipino athletes a true “homecourt advantage.”

“Thank you Mr. President for making the Games free. Now, our people can enjoying watching the SEA games for free,” said Puentevella, the incumbent weightlifting chief who was the first sport official to raise the idea of giving the tickets for free.

“Don’t worry, we’ll win these Games hands down, especially now that we have the homecourt advantage. Let the games begin.”