CDC warns vs fake balloon fest in Clark

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines — The state-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC) on Monday said it has not approved any hot air balloon festival here this year.

It issued the clarification after a poster of an event, called “Clark Hot Air Balloon: Music, Art and Food Festival,” circulated on social media over the weekend.

Although the poster announced the names of artists and disc jockeys featured in a concert, it did not name the organizers or promoters.

The purported event is slated on Feb. 14 to Feb. 16. CDC advised the public “against any representation that solicits support for business and other purposes.”

The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) might not be the organizers because it announced on its website on Jan. 3 that it was moving to a new venue for its event slated on March 6 to March 8.

PIHABF Foundation had been organizing a similar event here since 2000. But it canceled its 22nd staging of the event last year because it had “not received the commitment of its government partners.”—Tonette Orejas