Bono salutes journalists, activists, volunteers at 2019 Philippine concert

MANILA, Philippines — Irish rock band U2 has honored Red Cross volunteers, journalists and activists at the Philippine leg of their world tour, "The Joshua Tree Tour" promoted by MMI Live and held in Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

During the concert, frontman Bono asked concertgoers to include volunteers, journalists and activists in their prayers. In a Zipline press conference the other day, Bono shared that his concert was free for Red Cross volunteers and if not a singer, he would probably be a journalist.


“Red Cross is in the house tonight, volunteers. Let’s keep them in our prayers, the ones who keep us safe from physical harm,” Bono said.

“Also in our prayers, let’s keep the journalists, the truth-tellers, the activists who keep this country spiritually safe. We salute you. Truth-tellers, everyday heroes. Let’s see our lights, let’s see out stars in the middle of the sky,” he added.

Bono's statement comes on the same day it was reported that government officials and uniformed personnel were linked to at least 69 attacks and threats against journalists recorded since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, according to a report of a network of media organizations.



U2, composed of Bono, guitarist David Evans, bass Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr, was in the country for the first time since the band started in 1976.

Bono thanked Filipinos for their patience as they played the band’s greatest hits in four decades, including, “With or Without You,” “Bullet the Blue Sky,” “Desire,” “Elevation,” “Where The Streets Have No Name,” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” to name a few.

“Thank you, Manila for your patience. I know it’s taken a while getting in the arena tonight. It took us four decades, but we feel very welcome. And this is for sure gonna be the best show we ever play in Manila,” Bono said.

source: philstar.com

Justin Bieber cancels rest of world tour including Philippine Arena concert

Justin Bieber is not returning to the Philippines, after all.

A statement posted on his official website announced the cancellation of his ongoing “Purpose World Tour” citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

“Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them. He thanks his fans for the incredible experience of the Purpose World Tour over the last 18 months. He is grateful and honored to have shared that experience with his cast and crew for over 150 successful shows across 6 continents during this run. However, after careful consideration he has decided he will not be performing any further dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase,” went the rest of the statement.

The said statement was re-posted on the social media pages of concert promoter MMI Live and its head, Rhiza Pascua. At the time of the tour’s cancellation, Bieber had 14 dates remaining covering cities in North America and Asia, including the Philippines where he was scheduled to perform at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan on September 30.

Given the large venue and its location outside Metro Manila, elaborate preparations had been made for the upcoming concert including ample parking for the 80-hectare space, the deployment of 1,000 traffic enforcers patrolling the grounds as well as the presence of Philippine National Police and local government units officers inside and outside the venue.

The Philippine Arena also offered 50 point-to-point (P2P) shuttle buses to transport concertgoers from and to Metro Manila as well as the availability of over 400 housing units for rent for those planning to have a “staycation” during the concert weekend.

As of posting time, Bieber had yet to personally explain the reason for the tour’s cancellation on his social media pages.

source: interaksyon.com

#AlDubEBTamangPanahon packs Philippine Arena, raises P14-M for charity

Believed to have maximized the 55,000 capacity of the Philippine Arena, the AlDub special of “Eat Bulaga” dubbed “Tamang Panahon” was also able to raise P14 million from the event’s ticket sales for the building of school libraries all over the country.

“History na, charity pa,” exclaimed “Eat Bulaga” host Joey de Leon exclaimed. He suggested that the special is possibly the biggest in the 36-year-history of the popular noontime show but also possibly the most attended event in Philippine Arena since it opened its doors in July last year for the centennial celebration of the Iglesia ni Cristo, which owns it.

The highlight of the commercial-free show — which continued the “Kalyeserye” saga that began only last July and accidentally introduced the #AlDub phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub — moved its live audience and televiewers nationwide to tears when Alden and Maine found themselves in a prolonged tight embrace for the very first time.

The crowd cheered when the usually strict Lola Nidora (Wally Bayola) announced that this was the right time or “tamang panahon” for Alden and Maine to finally get to know each other more intimately without the usual obstacles that stood between them in the past.

As Lola Nidora promised, there were no more plywoods, no more split screens and no more communicating in writing and via Dubsmash.

In a Cinderella-themed number complete with matching glass slipper, a misty-eyed Alden sang Bryan White’s “God Gave Me You” as he and Maine finally held hands, hugged each other tightly and spoke at length to the crowd and to each other.

Audiences also got to know the real Maine better, as Lola Nidora narrated her humble beginnings, including how she became a Dubsmash sensation on YouTube and how she eventually impressed both the Dabarkads and fans of “Eat Bulaga” in her Yaya Dub persona.

The Philippine Arena attendance is not the only record that “Tamang Panahon” is likely to break. On social media, #AlDubEBTamangPanahon is not only the top trending hashtag to date but as of posting time has accumulated 24.4 million tweets, on pace to exceed the 25.6 million tweets that the hashtag #AlDubEBforLove recorded last September 26.

As tight security measures were implemented by the Philippine Arena, with the Metro Manila Development Authority also deploying 50 traffic constables, 20 motorcycle enforcers and six tow trucks to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct, the almost six-hour TV special proceeded without a hitch or any untoward incident.

source: interaksyon.com

Philippine Arena bares security precautions for #AlDub event

Selling out the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena was the easy part.

Now the world’s largest indoor arena is undertaking all security precautions to ensure that the AlDub special of “Eat Bulaga” dubbed “Sa Tamang Panahon” proceeds without incident.

On its Facebook page, the Philippine Arena posted a list of things that will not be allowed inside the venue during the event. These include long pointed umbrellas, laser pens and pointers, weapons or any sharp objects, food and drinks, candles and any types of pyrotechnics, glass, bottles, cans, hard plastic containers, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, drugs, large chains, spike bracelets, wallet chains and metal belt bucklets.

Large backpacks and waist bags will also be subject to inspection.

For security reasons, children ages 7 years old and below will not be allowed inside the arena while pregnant women will be asked to sign a waiver before they are allowed entry. The arena likewise reserves the right to deny entry to anyone carrying the mentioned prohibited items as well as to those they deem to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

To make sure fans will proceed to their seats in orderly fashion, the tickets are coded with the faces of Alden Richards, Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub and Wally Bayola a.k.a Lola Nidora

In an earlier tweet, Senator Tito Sotto also reminded fans to exercise discipline during the event.


He also warned pranksters to refrain from making bomb jokes and reminded them of their potentially dire consequences.





Ticket holders coming from various points of Metro Manila can ride shuttle buses that will take them to the venue along NLEX in Bocaue, Bulacan. These buses will be stationed at pick-up points in Broadway Centrum, Cubao and Navotas and will make scheduled trips at 6AM and 7AM.

The security concerns are justified amid fears of a stampede similar to what happened in 2006 with another noontime show.

On February 4 of that year, 73 people were killed and about 400 more were injured during a stampede during the tense-filled first anniversary show of the new defunct “Wowowee” hosted by Willie Revillame.

Then at the height of its popularity, the anniversary show was reported to have drawn over 30,000 people who waited outside the gates of PhilSports Arena (also known as Ultra) for days hoping to participate in the show’s games and win prizes. When the gates opened, the increasingly impatient crowd shoved their way inside, leading to the stampede.

There were also reports that a false bomb threat had caused the stampede although this was never proven. No one was charged in the incident, which the Guinness World Records cited as “the greatest death toll in a game show.”

source: interaksyon.com

#AlDub sells out 55,000 tickets for Philippine Arena show

As posted on its Facebook late Monday night, the Philippine Arena has confirmed that the scheduled “Eat Bulaga” AlDub special dubbed as “Tamang Panahon” this Saturday, October 24, had completely sold out.

Eight hours earlier, a Twitter account attributed to Senator Tito Sotto (@titosottoreal) tweeted that the event had sold out 55,000 tickets, the entire seating capacity of the humongous multi-purpose indoor arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.



 A screenshot of Sotto’s tweet accompanied this Philippine Arena post:

“Eat Bulaga sa Tamang Panahon sa Philippine Arena SOLD OUT!!!
Welcome pa rin po kayo sa Philippine Sports Stadium!
Sa mga hindi nakabili o mga naubusan ng ticket go pa rin ba kayo???
‪#‎ALDUBPhilippineSportsStadiumPaMore‬‬
Use this hash tag and let your voice be heard!”

Yes, the venue is now offering a view to the event from the nearby Philippine Sports Stadium which has a seating capacity of 25,000 for those who weren’t able to buy tickets for “Tamang Panahon.”

On Saturday, the event set a single-day record for Ticketworld with sales of over 30,000 tickets just hours after it was announced on “Eat Bulaga”.

With four more days to go before “Tamang Panahon”, it looks like the potentially historic event is set to break new records as the popularity of the AlDub love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub has yet to reach its peak.

“Tamang Panahon” starts at the Arena at around 10AM but will air on GMA Network at 11:30AM.

source: interaksyon.com