Coldplay frontman Chris Martin wrote an impromptu song about the "insane" traffic jams in Manila during the band's show in the Philippines. The congestion was so bad that even the country's president, who attended the show with his wife, used a helicopter to go to the group's first night of concert.
Chris Martin Says Traffic Is 'Completely Insane'
On the first night of Coldplay's concert on Friday, January 19, Chris Martin acknowledged the traffic jam in Manila and thanked the audience for "coming through the traffic."
"We've seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one in the world," he said, while Marcos stood in the audience, in viral videos on TikTok and X.
The following night, Martin devoted an impromptu song about it, singing, "Yesterday, we sang about Manila and the rain but we're not gonna sing that song again. There is only really one thing that remains. The traffic here in Manila is completely insane."
As compared to almost 400 cities in 55 nations, Manila's metro region had the slowest travel time in 2023, according to the TomTom Traffic Index.
Approximately 52% of Manila's roadways are crowded, and the average rush-hour speed is 19 kph (11 mph), based on the figures from the transportation-focused tech startup. A typical trip of merely 10 km (6.2 miles) takes around 25 minutes.
In the impromptu song, Martin even added: "If you wanna drive somewhere, then I'm warning you. A 2-mile drive will take a week or two. If you wanna get back home in time for your bath, well, I'd allow yourself about a year and a half."
@loiselxx nakagawa na siya song sa manila traffic #coldplaymanila ♬ original sound - loiselxx
Marcos Criticized for Using Chopper to Concert
Based on social media videos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and their entourage landed by helicopter at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, north of Manila, on Friday.
Apparently, some people on the internet were upset that Marcos failed to do anything to improve public transportation and wondered why he was using taxpayer money to go to a concert.
Millions of Filipinos have long struggled with the problem of urban transportation since they must endure the everyday reality of waiting for hours in traffic, particularly in the capital, where private cars, jeepneys, taxis, buses, and tricycles vie for road space.
On the other hand, private helicopters or light planes are typical modes of transportation for politicians, corporate executives, and their families.
The commander of Marcos' security team issued a statement on Saturday, January 20, defending his method of transportation, stating that "unforeseen traffic complications" threatened the president's safety in the face of widespread internet criticism.
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