3 bullet-proof cars to fetch Taylor Swift at Naia terminal 1

By: Pocholo Concepcion - 10 years ago

Taylor Swift. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines— Three bullet-proof cars were to fetch American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift at 3:30 p.m. Friday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 for her concert later at 8 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

The cars were said to be rented at P100,000 each.

Swift was to be flown by a private jet and would stay at Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

The seven-time Grammy-winning artist is on the last four dates of her current tour in support of her 2012 album “Red.” The tour opened in 2013 and took her to North America, Oceania, Europe and Asia.

This marks her second time to perform in Manila—the first was in February 2011 at Smart Araneta Coliseum which drew an SRO crowd.

Seats for MOA Arena show have sold out, but fans were still buying SRO tickets Friday afternoon.

Swift’s arrival comes on the heels of a scandal that led to the firing of MOA Arena ushers involved in a syndicate that allegedly stole income from promoters of concerts held at the venue.

MOA Arena management is expected to be vigilant, even as the venue’s general manager told the Philippine Daily Inquirer: “We are maintaining a proactive approach to the situation.”

Gonzales added that he would deploy “intelligence and counterintelligence” teams to thwart any more attempts by the syndicate.