President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday described the Coldplay concert as "on a different level" and "fantastic," saying it was "a must-not-miss" for any music enthusiast.
In a media interview after launching the Lung Transplant Program of the Lung Center of the Philippines, Marcos couldn't help but gush about his experience last Friday.
"By now, you already know that I'm really a music lover, I have been for a long time. I studied music for many years. And to have somebody like Coldplay, it's a must-not-miss, cannot miss. It was, by the way, fantastic. Ask anybody who attended the concert. It's on a different level. Not like the concerts we used to attend before," Marcos said.
The President further expressed his awe at the concert's production value, calling it "spectacular."
When asked about the crowd, Marcos enthusiastically described the atmosphere, saying that he haven't seen anything like it before.
While Marcos' passion for music won over some hearts, his choice of transportation to the concert sparked controversy.
The Chief Executive arrived at the Philippine Arena, located north of Manila, via presidential helicopter, bypassing the city's notorious traffic just to attend the Southeast Asia leg of Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres" world tour last 19 January.
Critics argued that using a state resource for a personal leisure activity was a misuse of public funds and insensitive to the daily struggles of ordinary Filipinos who face the traffic gridlock firsthand.
Supporters, however, defended the decision, citing security concerns and the potential disruption caused by a presidential motorcade.
In response to the wave of online criticism, the Presidential Security Command said on Saturday that the security agency “took decisive action by opting for the presidential chopper.”
The venue encountered an "in unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals eagerly attending a concert, resulting in unforeseen traffic complications, which posed a potential security threat to the President, PSC head Major General Nelson Morales said in a statement.