First Person
It’s still a long time coming… (Philippines’ Version)
It’s been a long time coming… That angelic concert introduction rearranged my insides, and I emerged as an entirely different person since then. It was THAT life-changing, as if it healed all the pain and trauma I had endured up to this date.
The record-breaking, Earth-shattering, and highest-grossing tour of all time — The Eras Tour — led by our generation’s biggest music superstar, Taylor Swift, not only impacted the world but also my life.
I managed to snag a ticket for the Singapore (SG) stop in July last year during the general sale of tickets, coinciding with the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), her third re-recorded album. It was an exhilarating day for Southeast Asian Swifties, as Singapore was the only tour leg for the entire region.
The international dates of the Eras Tour were announced in June of the same year but did not include Manila or any other city in the Philippines. The news left several Filipino Swifties brokenhearted, as the country has been skipped by Miss Americana since her 1989 World Tour almost a decade ago. The last time she visited the country was during her Red Tour in 2014.
Come to think of it, why did Singapore have it all for Southeast Asia (SEA) this time? In Swift’s past concert tours, multiple SEA countries have been included in her musical journey, such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Over the past few weeks, it has been a topic of diplomatic dispute among the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), questioning Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s exclusivity deal with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) Presents Asia to tour only his country. What did Asia’s Garden City have in its arsenal that made it the superstar’s sole stop for the entire region?
My four-day odyssey in Singapore was nothing short of remarkable — it instantly became the best days of my life to date because of the efficient and effortless travel facilitated by the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT), one of the country’s primary modes of transportation. Private vehicles are prohibitively expensive in the country to address traffic congestion and the scarcity of space, given the city-state’s size. Consequently, it is observed that Singaporeans from all walks of life utilize the SMRT, which serves as a key indicator of economic progress.
This is in contrast to the transportation systems in the Philippines, where there is much leeway for the use of private vehicles, causing frequent and heavy traffic situations in key metropolitan areas of the country. Additionally, the government’s priorities regarding public transport are misplaced. Last year was particularly challenging for public utility vehicles, as operators and drivers were coerced into the state-mandated modernization of jeepneys, potentially paralyzing millions of livelihoods. Moreover, the biggest concert venue in the country and the world’s largest mixed-use indoor arena — the Philippine Arena — can only be directly accessed through the North Luzon Expressway, which is infamous for heavy traffic congestion, especially during concert events.
In the green city-state, I was enticed by its infrastructure and how it was designed and laid out. It seemed as though all buildings and structures were perfectly placed. The National Stadium — a 55,000-seater event venue — is located at an integrated sports hub, positioned approximately in the heart of the Lion City. This strategic location ensures ease of access and proximity to other key tourist destinations. The huge arena can be reconfigured based on the type of sports event or concert stage required, making it a perfect fit for Swift’s larger-than-life production for the global phenomenon. Additionally, the stadium is conveniently equipped with two proximate MRT stations on different railway lines: the Stadium MRT adjacent to the stadium and the Kallang MRT a few blocks away from the Sports Hub.
On the other hand, the Philippines severely lacks large, public-use infrastructures, especially considering that the ones currently in the country are primarily owned by private corporations or organized religions. For instance, the Philippine Arena, despite having the same seating capacity as Singapore’s largest venue, only has a floor setting suitable for sports needing less space, such as basketball.
Other events, such as football and track-and-field, can be held in the much smaller Philippine Sports Stadium (located at the same complex as the Philippine Arena) and the New Clark City Stadium (a recently constructed sports venue in Capas, Tarlac, for the 2019 SEA Games), both with a similar capacity of 25,000. While these venues may accommodate the gigantic Eras Tour stage, audiences may face skyrocketing ticket prices due to their small capacity. Moreover, these event venues are situated in remote areas without a significant amount of food, transportation, and lodging establishments capable of accommodating a large number of people simultaneously.
Having only Singapore as the single stop in SEA is quite strategic, as it would only require one logistics movement in the entire insular region, considering that the stage and equipment came from Sydney as the penultimate Asia-Pacific leg. The Strait of Malacca serves as an important trading route connecting countries in the Pacific region, with Singapore as its terminal post. It would seem like a waste of shipping costs for Swift’s team to consider touring neighboring nations like the Philippines despite the huge demand.
When the concert night ended, I did not feel uncomfortable at all. Despite the astonishing attendance, both inside and outside the venue, the crowd control was flawless. The Singapore Sports Hub hired marshals who efficiently managed the crowds, particularly in regulating the traffic at the Stadium MRT station. They even played Taylor’s songs while people queued, ensuring smooth crowd control. It was impressive to see the authorities regulating the flow of people throughout Swift’s six-night residency in the city-state. This proves that private vehicles are not required for concert use, unlike here in the Philippines.
It seemed like Singapore gave its all in securing the cultural phenomenon exclusively in their land. Reports have stated that The Eras Tour in Singapore is projected to boost the country’s gross domestic product by 0.2 percentage points, bringing around $225 to $300 million to the economy. Their investments in infrastructure, public transport, security, and economic advantages outweighed the possible risks of the government’s grants to AEG. They reaped what they sow from their business deals, which I hope the Philippines can emulate as a sound business strategy, rather than dismissing it as an ‘unfriendly move,’ as one local representative stated.
This circumstance is a reflection of the state’s long-time lack of prioritization in developing basic facilities in the Philippines, such as our healthcare, education, and transportation system. Regrettably, our government seems to prioritize those that benefit them personally rather than serving the best interests of the people. So long as commuting is an everyday burden to a normal Filipino, indeed, it is still a long time coming for our nation.
