DOT director for Central Luzon Ronaldo Tiotuico said “preparations are now underway to greet the day of hearts with a lot of surprises like offering fresh roses or candy bars and heart-shaped cakes for the first 100 couples or sweethearts that visit the DOT booth”
At least 25 giant hot air balloons from various countries are expected to join the festival, which, he said, will be held from Feb. 12 to 15. The Valentines surprises will be up on Feb. 14, he added.
“Games and Valentines-related quiz bee will be held with prizes to be given away to participating couples. Special prizes will be given away to couples who wear or bring something that comes close to celebrating Valentine’s Day,” Tiotuico said.
The annual ballooning event is hosted by Clark Development Corporation led by its president Benigno Ricafort, the Philippine Air Force, the Clark International Airport Corp., and a host of private sponsors, he said.
Tiotuico recalled that the festival was first organized by the DOT in 1994 during the incumbency of then Sec. Mina Gabor. “It was conceived as an activity to uplift the spirits of the Capampangan at the height of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo,” he recalled.
Tiotuico managed the first festival together with Sung Kee Paik, a Korean national, and John Emery of British Airways.
“Since then, the ballooning never fails to attract more than a hundred thousand tourists. It has since been officially recorded as one of the scheduled ballooning events in the world even competing in public exposure and attention with that of Saga, Japan and Albuquerque, New Mexico,” Tiotuico also said.
