It sucks that “Filipino time” refers to being anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours late for any event, but that is exactly what the American rapper Russ had to adjust for during his Friday concert in Manila, announcing on Twitter that he would delay the start of his set to wait for fans who were still stuck in rush hour traffic.
“Manila the traffic is crazy so fans are late gettin to the venue. My original set time was 8:20 but imma wait for everyone to show up and go on around 8:45/9,” he tweeted.
The Losin Control rapper held his concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, the second Southeast Asian stop of his The Journey is Everything World Tour, after performing in Malaysia on Nov. 3.
Fans tweeting from the traffic standstill thanked Russ for being patient and considerate about Manila’s horrendous traffic situation.
One even pleaded for him to go on at 9:30 as it would take him another hour to get to the venue.
Another recounted that it took him three hours to get to the venue when it would have only been an hour and a half away during normal traffic.
Meanwhile, other users said they were embarrassed by Manila’s traffic situation, particularly in the Facebook group Commuters of Metro Manila.
“It makes me feel bad that authorities only take action when they hear it from some international public figure, like that time a Korean star was overcharged by a taxi driver. But the frustrations of the people who pay taxes and put their trust in them are ignored,” one comment said.
“The traffic condition in Manila is embarrassing,” another wrote.
It seems that all was well with the rapper, who posted a video performing to a packed venue, writing, “ARENA IN THE PHILIPPINES. MAHAL KITA. Y’all have shown me so much love over the years. Thank you for supporting me and coming to the show tonight. I love y’all!!!”
Reader Interactions