As part of the heightened security and safety measures amid the recent issues that hounded Japanese anime and pop-culture events being held at the SM Megamall, particularly at the Megatrade Halls.
A new rule is going to be enforced by Mall security at the 9th TAGCOM Convention next weekend.
According to Hobbiworx’s Joel Delos Santos, all cosplayers, whether in costume or not, and even those who will deliver their costumes to their prospective buyers must buy tickets at the entrance of the mall before entering. Tickets for the event will be sold at the entrance of Building A and B.
Security personnel will check cosplayers and people carrying with costumes if they have tickets at hand and have been stamped by Hobbiworx.
If a cosplayer has not paid entry at the mall entrance and is donning the costume, the person will be enforced to buy a ticket or remove the costume.
This is to prevent “costrippers”, or cosplayers who roam around the mall premises, and freeloaders to loiter around the mall area, which has been a persistent problem at the SM Megamall in light of the recent issues involving past events.
The ticket selling for non-cosplayers and regular eventgoers will stay at the Megatrade Hall 3. Ticket price for the event is pegged at PHP100.
Last December, thousands of people converged at the SM Megamall’s fifth floor for Otakuzine Anime Magazine’s Ozine Fest Anime Figure Special, which was held at the Megatrade Hall 3.
The influx of people at the event prompted the organizers to open up the two remaining halls but it did little in relieving the situation at the fifth floor.
Other events that are scheduled to happen at the SM Megamall Megatrade Halls, aside from TAGCOM 2015, are Ozine Fest 2015, slated for April 24-26, and The 15th Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention, which will be held for June 19-21. Both events will be held at all Megatrade Halls and the two function rooms.
No word if the other events that will be held at the Megatrade Halls will enforce the same rule on their events.
UPDATE: Changed from Jojo Delos Reyes to Jojo Delos Santos. We apologize for the error.
