CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Two hot air balloon festivals loom next year with the Pilipinas International Balloon Festival Inc. (PIBFI) ascertaining an annual event in Lubao starting this year in the wake of a recent announcement of the restaging of the Clark fest in 2015.
This developed as the PIBFI held a press conference here yesterday announcing “It’s all systems go” on April 10-13 for its edition in Barangay Prado Siongco, Lubao.
PIBFI Chair Noel Castro said “Balloon Festival in Lubao” will have 35 colorful and specially shaped hot air balloons like the cartoon character-shaped Angry Bird, Simba, three-faced monkey and even a motorcycle.
Fueled by the slogan, “The magical flying experience continues…,” Castro said it is more feasible to fly hot air balloons in April since weather conditions are more favorable unlike in February when rains sometimes hamper the event as experienced in the past.
Castro said they just cannot accept that no hot air balloons will fly this year after Joy Roa, chair of the rival Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Foundation, Inc. (PIHABFFI), said his group will not be staging the event for this year.
Castro said they “deemed the event not just an annual occasion but a stunning tradition embedded in the culture of the province.” He said “it is not just the event that has to be continued but the fervor and faith of the people of Pampanga…”
Castro said he met with Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Ronnie Tiotuico and started planning to hold the event in another location far from the Clark International Airport (CIA).
“We decided to transfer the venue to Lubao in view of the air traffic situation in aviation-related activities at the Clark airport where around nine international and domestic airlines now operate and flying in and out from various destinations around the world,” said Castro.
“Flying hot-air balloons at an altitude of 4,000 feet may inconvenience airlines especially if launched during peak hours, thus the decision to move out of the 25-kilometer no-fl y zone for balloons,” Castro added.
Castro assured that this is the start of an annual event in Lubao. Barangay Prado Siongco in the said town is about 33 kilometers away from the CIA.
