Air balloon fest to take off April 14

LUBAO, Pampanga—As many as 40 hot-air balloons from 20 countries will be coloring the skies of this town on April 14 during the third Lubao International Balloon Festival (LIBF), the biggest ballooning event in Southeast Asia, organizers said.

“We had 43 participating balloonists last year. Fifty [balloonists] want to come this time but we cut down the number of participants based on the availability of chase crews,” said Noel Castro, chair of LIBF Inc., in a press briefing on Thursday at Pradera Verde, the venue of the four-day LIBF.

Belgian delegate

Castro said Belgium balloonists did not cancel their participation on the heels of recent terrorist bombings in that country.

With 2016 being a Year of the Monkey in the Chinese calendar, a balloon shaped as three monkeys will lead 10 special-shaped balloons, according to Steve King, the event’s director. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon