PH Arena, Bulacan town ready to host U2, SEA Games

BOCAUE, BULACAN—The Philippine Arena will be hosting two big events in the last half of 2019, and venue officials say their preparations include access road improvements and traffic management.

The 55,000-seat arena, which holds the Guinness record for the biggest indoor multipurpose venue, will host the opening ceremonies of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in November.

Mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna said the Philippine Arena interchange was being completed to ease traffic in the area in time for the SEA Games. Once finished in October, the interchange will give direct access to the arena from the northbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway.

In December, the Manila leg of U2’s concert will also be held at the Philippine Arena, according to lawyer Glicerio Santos IV, chief operating officer of Maligaya Development Corp., the firm managing the arena and its Ciudad de Victoria location.

The Joshua Tree 2019 Tour of the popular rock band is a one-night-only concert and could be the arena’s biggest event. Scheduled for Dec. 11, the show is produced by the MMI Live and Prestige Worldwide.

“This concert is every music lover’s dream come true, and the Philippine Arena can easily accommodate the tens of thousands of fans who will witness this once-in-a-lifetime event,” Santos said in a statement. “We expect a huge turnout of visitors and we’re working with both national and local governments for the prompt completion of road and access networks to ease traffic flow.”

He said he was coordinating with the promoters and organizers on how to make the concert memorable.

“We’re aware of the world-class standards and the highest level of technical and music excellence that U2 brings to its performances. The Philippine Arena will meet those demands and will do everything to please everyone who watches U2 live,” he said.

The sprawling Bocaue-based venue has previously hosted concerts by rock band Guns N’ Roses and pop star Katy Perry. —CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE