Strict security at Happy 50 concert

Security and safety are the main concerns of ABS-CBN in mounting the Happy 50 TV concert tomorrow, Nov. 29 at The Fort Open Field. Touted as the biggest entertainment event of the year, Happy 50 TV will feature Meteor Garden stars Jerry Yan, better known as Dao Ming Si, and Vic Zhou, better known as Hua Ze Lei, with Barbie Xu, who is Shan Cai, and her younger sister Dee Xu of ASOS, plus a host of ABS-CBN talents.

To avoid any accident, commotion or other untoward incident, ABS-CBN has beefed up preparations under the umbrella codename Oplan Happy 50 TV for the comfort, safety and convenience of concert-goers.

"Everything is going to be as orderly as possible," assures Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN senior vice president for TV production. The network apparently does not want a repeat of the mayhem caused by the concert of the two other F4 stars — Ken Zhu and Vaness Wu — who performed at the Ultra Football Field last September.

Nearly a thousand security men will be deployed around The Fort Open Field on Saturday. ABS-CBN has hired a private security agency, Goldlink, which will position over 500 guards in the venue, while the Philippine National Police will assign 180 cops who will work with 200 security men of The Fort. Over-all in charge of security is Col. Rene Silva.

To secure the perimeter of the concert venue, ABS-CBN will use 120 container vans, instead of galvanized metal sheets, to avoid gatecrashers who want to get into the area, according to Vidanes. The ground will be flattened to avoid any inconvenience to concert-goers.

For easier entrance to the venue, there will be 11 gates which will bear the titles of ABS-CBN shows, with corresponding ticket levels. The gates will have six lanes each and will open as early as 12 noon. There will be four gates for the general admission tickets (P500) which will have a standing area, two for the P1,500 tickets with free seating, two for P2,500, two for P5,000 and a separate entry gate for VIP ticket-holders of P10,000 and P15,000. There will be two Ticketnet booths near the entrances for last-minute buyers who want to watch the concert.

ABS-CBN has lined up a number of activities starting at 2 p.m., including the special screening of Ai-Ai de las Alas’ box office hit, Tanging Ina, at 6 p.m. for early concert-goers. There will be nine video walls around the venue which will also show loops of materials like plugs of ABS-CBN programs, concert sponsors and other network teasers before the concert.

"It will be a fiesta inside," says Vidanes.

Outside the concert venue, ABS-CBN will set up a field hospital to be manned by doctors and medical personnel from the Health Department, with life-support units. There will also be 13 medical stations around the concert grounds including one backstage, with a consortium of medical teams from different volunteer organizations including the Philippine National Red Cross. On stand-by will be 13 ambulances and five fire trucks.

Parking will not be a problem as ABS-CBN has earmarked two and a half hectares of land inside The Fort, which will be reinforced with lighting by Meralco. Traffic plugs and advisories will be aired hourly on the network tomorrow.

There will be 60 various concessionaires inside the concert area. Concert-goers, however, will not be allowed to bring in bottled or canned drinks. The concessionaires will sell drinks in plastic cups. Also not allowed in the venue are photo cameras, video cameras, audio recorders, firearms, pointed weapons, liquor or other alcoholic beverages and drugs. There will be a depository area for the cameras, which owners can claim after the concert.

The network will also put up 80 portable toilets inside the venue.

Vidanes points out, however, that the Happy 50 TV concert is being presented by ABS-CBN not just for the Taiwanese stars. "The local contingent performing in the show is also very strong," Vidanes says.

The Happy 50 TV concert is part of ABS-CBN’s 50th anniversary treat. The show will also feature Ai-Ai de las Alas, with Vina Morales and The Hunks — Piolo Pascual, Diether Ocampo, Jericho Rosales, Bernard Palanca and Carlos Agassi.

Also performing are Claudine Barretto, Francis M, Andrew E, Bayani Agbayani, Kristine Hermosa, John Llyod Cruz, Bea Alonzo, John Prats, Heart Evangelista, Michael Josh Santana, Divo and King.

Barbie and her sister Dee, who comprise the singing duo ASOS, will arrive this morning via Eva Air from Taiwan. Jerry and Vic, meanwhile, will plane in from Taiwan tomorrow morning via China Airlines. From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), they will ride a chopper and go straight to the concert venue for rehearsals. The Taiwanese stars are leaving on separate flights on Sunday morning.