Ricky John B.

Bordaje
Gas-12

Incident: PhilSports Stadium Stampede (ULTRA Stampede/Wowowee Stampede)

Date: February 4,2006
Disaster: Man-made
Casualties: 73 Death and 392 Injuries
A stampede killed at least 73 people and injured nearly 400 others yesterday when more than 20,000
broke into the Philsports Arena in Pasig City to fight for seats at what was to have been the first
anniversary of the popular game show “Wowowee” on ABS-CBN where huge cash prizes and other
items were to be given away.
Senator Richard Gordon, concurrently the Philippine National Red Cross chief, said the death toll was
revised to 73 from 88 after officials discovered that some of the fatalities had been counted twice. At
least 392 others were listed as injured in the dawn tragedy.
President Arroyo ordered an official probe into the cause of the stampede. Some officials claimed
someone shouted " bomb " as people rushed in to fight for seats, triggering the stampede that killed
those who fell and got trampled over, most of the victims were middle-aged or elderly women. Some of
the dead still had their eyes open.
The would-be spectators had hoped to win minibuses or houses or even the top prize of one million
pesos which was the special offering for the first anniversary of the show. Around 40 percent of the
people in the Philippines live on less than 100 pesos a day and game shows like “Wowowee” that offer
substantial prizes naturally generate a huge following.
The show's host, Willie Revillame, initially said he wanted the show to go on, but the ABS-CBN
management later said it would have to be postponed. Network chairman Eugenio Lopez said: " We
want to assure the public that ABS-CBN will stand behind any costs that have been incurred by the
victims. " Arroyo later comforted the injured at hospitals, where emergency rooms were overwhelmed
with victims, some of them forced to await treatment on plastic chairs or even on the floor.
Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio said the stampede ensued when the huge crowd rushed toward the
gates, thinking they were already open, trampling those in front. One survivor said some people in the
crowd became rowdy when they could not enter. Police Superintendent Gerry Galvan said at least 50
people died at the stadium while the rest died in hospitals.
Even after the stampede, hundreds of people remained in the area - some out of curiousity, others
wandering around in shock, while still others continued to line up, not giving up hope of attending the
show. The capacity of the Philsports Arena is only 9,000 so trying to accommodate the estimated 20,000
people who showed up was a security nightmare.

https://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2006/02/05/320214/wowowee-stampede-kills-73