Hot air balloon fest takes off

COLORFUL hot air balloons from 18 countries that are taking part in the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta dot the morning sky in Lubao town, Pampanga province. E.I. REYMOND T. OREJAS/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON

LUBAO, Pampanga—A hot air balloon festival, which was held for the first time outside the Clark Freeport Zone, drew in 35 balloonists from 18 countries on Thursday.

Held also for the first time during the start of the dry season, the first Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Barangay Prado Siongco here has not encountered any accidents so far.

“There is nothing wrong with flying during this time of the summer season,” Hilario Castro Jr., president of the organizer, Pilipinas International Balloon Festival Inc. (PIBFI), told the Inquirer.

Castro was reacting to a statement made in January by the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Foundation Inc. (PIHABFFI). The group, led by Capt. Joy Roa, expressed concern about the safety of holding a ballooning event in April. PIHABFFI said the best months to fly balloons were January and February.

Roa declined to comment on the event organized by PIBFI.

It was the Department of Tourism (DOT) that planned to mount the event this year when PIHABFFI postponed its event due to lack of preparation time.

The DOT, then led by former Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor, held the event from 1994 to 1999. PIHABFFI sustained this from 2000 to 2013.

“Yes, the critics were wrong. Anywhere around the world, especially in tropical countries, ballooning is held early in the morning before sunrise when the temperature is conducive to flying,” said Ronaldo Tiotuico, DOT regional director in Central Luzon.

“Now the pilots have discovered that Lubao is the perfect location because the wind here tends to fly them back to the launch area. The wind runs in circles, so to speak,” Tiotuico added.

Castro said PIBFI carried on with the event because its members “want to have continuity.”

“People look forward to the festival,” he said.

At least 20 balloonists took off here from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Thursday. Organizers said other balloonists would join the event today (Friday, April 11).

Around 500 people, including children, packed the area starting at 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Korean Steve King, the event’s director, oversaw the test flights that were held in the last two weeks.

Lydia Bognot took 14 relatives along who cheered as the balloons were inflated and started to take various shapes. Entrance fee for the event site was P200 a person.

Buzzy the Green Monster, a balloon manned by American Shane Robinson, proved to be a favorite among spectators. A ride costs $200, or around P9,000.

Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda said the event gave a boost to tourism in the neighboring provinces of Pampanga and Bataan. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon