MANILA -- The Philippines should think about how it can make itself an attractive venue for concerts, an analyst said Wednesday.

Milken Instititue Senior Adviser for Global Markets Curtis Chin's came shortly after Albay Representative Joey Salceda hit out at Singapore over its "exclusivity clause" that allegedly prevented superstar Taylor Swift from holding her "Eras Tour" concert in other Southeast Asian countries. 

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Swift's concert has prompted economists to upgrade their Singapore economic growth forecasts--median estimates by Bloomberg are now at 2.9 percent, near the higher end of the government's 1 to 3 percent target rate and the quickest pace in 6 months.

Their previous estimates were at 2.3 percent.

"You know it’s not just the incentives that brings someone in, it’s the underlying infrastructure," Chin said. "It’s the experience that concert-goers will get once they’re there."

Chin, who attended Swift's Singapore concert, said he had a "terrific" time in Singapore.

"For me one terrific experience about the Taylor Swift conference was that I was able to get back to my hotel I think like in 20 minutes via the subway. How incredible is that?"

"And so I think the Philippines in particular, I lived here 4 years, with the Asian Development Bank, a lot of focus on infrastructure, we’ve seen governments in this country think through--you know, we have Build Build Build, but then we have the reality too of infrastructure constraint that (continues)."

Fans of US singer Taylor Swift take selfies next to an installation in the 'The Eras Tour Trail' showing iconic eras of Swift's musical evolutions at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore, February 28, 2024. How Hwee Young, EPA-EFE. 

"You know, haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate," Chin said, paraphrasing the pop superstar.

"And I think that’s the case--you know maybe people didn’t like it. But I say let’s move beyond the hate and think through how can we make the Philippines an amazing place, not just to attract these big concerts, but...how can the Philippines be, in many ways, the new Korea, this source of incredible domestic content that has taken the world?"

Chin said Swift's concert in Asia should prompt governments to think about how they can boost their own creative economies.

"Some people think, well success is attracting a film to be filmed in this nation, let’s say. That’s terrific. You’ll get money coming in."

"But even better is if the government can think through how do we create great Filipino films and Filipino dramas that the world will want as imports to their country," he added.

--ANC, 13 March 2023