Hot air balloon fest takes off in Clark zone

HOT air balloons get ready to fly over the Clark Freeport, venue of the 20th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, which would run until Sunday, Feb. 14. JUSTINE DIZON/INQUIRER CENTRAL LUZON

CLARK FREEPORT—A Philippine flag, a dragon the size of a bus, overgrown twin boys and other images flew over the skies above this free port  and neighboring Angeles City as the 20th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta took off here.

The four-day event, dubbed “Weekend for Everything that Flies,” features balloons of different shapes, colors and sizes from different nations, including France, Germany and the United States.

Among the crowd favorites are balloons shaped like a cracked dinosaur egg, a cathedral, a clown, a crocodile and the one simulating twin boys.

One of the event’s highlights was a skydiver, who leaped from a plane carrying the Philippine flag while the national anthem played.

The 20th staging of the festival showcases the partnership between civilians and the military in raising awareness about aviation, according to Capt. Meynard Halili, a member of the event’s organizing committee.

“I would rather look at this [festival] as a threshold towards a longer era of Philippine aviation events and we expect to grow more by way of attendance, both nationally and internationally,” he said.

Lawyer Arthur Tugade, president of the state-owned Clark Development Corp. (CDC), said the annual festival was a commitment of the Philippine Air Force, the local governments of Porac town and Angeles and Mabalacat cities and the private sector to promote tourism in the free port.

“We are creating international awareness about Clark and the Philippines,” Tugade said. “These activities help improve business in the area,” he added.

Retired Maj. Gen. Ricardo Banayat, CDC vice president for security, said the free port has doubled its security for the event. Because the festival would run until Sunday, Valentine’s Day, the opening program drew couples on a date.

“It’s our first time [to join the festivities] but we wanted to have our advance date for Valentine’s Day here,” said Paul Camacho, 28, from Bulacan province who came with his girlfriend.