“HOT AIR Fest Highlights Clark Role in Tourism.”
So trumpeted a press release from the Clark Development Corp. in an obvious attempt to gloss over the flak the festival has been getting from the local media lately.
“We cannot deny the fact that the event bring (sic) to Clark thousands of aerosports enthusiasts from the local and international communities…It’s a big promotion for Clark and this is one of the major sporting events that puts (sic) Clark in Asia’s tourism limelight.” So was CDC President-CEO Benigno Ricafort quoted – ungrammatically – as saying.
Ricafort went on a litany of the good things the festival brings, to wit (as quoted directly from the press release now):
a) tourism-related industries in Clark also get a boost as villas and hotel rooms are all fully booked during this time, including those outside the Clark Freeport;
b) the yearly event helps bring to Clark more foreign and local tourists during the month of February.
c) the promotion and media mileage to be generated by the hot air balloon fest is expected to generate interests among prospective investors on the potentials of Clark as an investment destination.
So indeed, the hot air balloon festival highlights the role of Clark in tourism.
That is from Ricafort’s perspective, and most assuredly shared by his cronies in the CDC.
Hot Air Fest Highlights Clark’s Failure to Take-Off.
So the cynic in me now declares, in obvious rebuttal of Ricafort’s arguments.
“We cannot deny the fact that the event brings to Clark thousands of spectators mainly from the local communities causing horrendous traffic that impacts a big dent on the productivity of the workers in Clark’s factories as well as in the transport of finished goods from Clark to the ports…If it really puts Clark in the Asia’s tourism limelight, then where are the hordes of Asian – non-Filipino that is – tourists coming to the event?” So I am counter-arguing.
On to my own litany of not-so-good things the festival brings:
a) villas and hotel rooms “all fully booked during this time, including those outside the Clark Freeport” find fertile ground only in the CDC imagination. Be real now, show cold statistics;
b) more local and foreign tourists coming this month, again show your data complete with benchmarks;
c) the promotion and media mileage to be generated by the hot air balloon fest is expected to generate interests among prospective investors on the potentials of Clark – yes, as a site for hot air ballooning. Especially so with the added come-on of P3.5 million subsidy requiring no liquidation report, and the untaxed parking, entrance and rental fees the prospective investor may collect.
Verily, the hot air balloon festival is a direct indictment of the failure of the CDC and the Clark International Airport Corp. to launch the Clark Freeport and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport to their proper niches, as capital- and labor-intensive, export-oriented investment zone for the former; as premier international airport for the latter.
So, where in the world can you find an economic zone and an international airport hosting a hot air balloon festival? Onli in da Pilipins, as the urban idiot is wont to say.
On second thought though, the CDC is right: Hot Air Fest Highlights Clark Role in Tourism. The Freeport and the DMIA be damned.
Ustu ya pero e makatud, as an old Kapampangan adage holds.
So trumpeted a press release from the Clark Development Corp. in an obvious attempt to gloss over the flak the festival has been getting from the local media lately.
“We cannot deny the fact that the event bring (sic) to Clark thousands of aerosports enthusiasts from the local and international communities…It’s a big promotion for Clark and this is one of the major sporting events that puts (sic) Clark in Asia’s tourism limelight.” So was CDC President-CEO Benigno Ricafort quoted – ungrammatically – as saying.
Ricafort went on a litany of the good things the festival brings, to wit (as quoted directly from the press release now):
a) tourism-related industries in Clark also get a boost as villas and hotel rooms are all fully booked during this time, including those outside the Clark Freeport;
b) the yearly event helps bring to Clark more foreign and local tourists during the month of February.
c) the promotion and media mileage to be generated by the hot air balloon fest is expected to generate interests among prospective investors on the potentials of Clark as an investment destination.
So indeed, the hot air balloon festival highlights the role of Clark in tourism.
That is from Ricafort’s perspective, and most assuredly shared by his cronies in the CDC.
Hot Air Fest Highlights Clark’s Failure to Take-Off.
So the cynic in me now declares, in obvious rebuttal of Ricafort’s arguments.
“We cannot deny the fact that the event brings to Clark thousands of spectators mainly from the local communities causing horrendous traffic that impacts a big dent on the productivity of the workers in Clark’s factories as well as in the transport of finished goods from Clark to the ports…If it really puts Clark in the Asia’s tourism limelight, then where are the hordes of Asian – non-Filipino that is – tourists coming to the event?” So I am counter-arguing.
On to my own litany of not-so-good things the festival brings:
a) villas and hotel rooms “all fully booked during this time, including those outside the Clark Freeport” find fertile ground only in the CDC imagination. Be real now, show cold statistics;
b) more local and foreign tourists coming this month, again show your data complete with benchmarks;
c) the promotion and media mileage to be generated by the hot air balloon fest is expected to generate interests among prospective investors on the potentials of Clark – yes, as a site for hot air ballooning. Especially so with the added come-on of P3.5 million subsidy requiring no liquidation report, and the untaxed parking, entrance and rental fees the prospective investor may collect.
Verily, the hot air balloon festival is a direct indictment of the failure of the CDC and the Clark International Airport Corp. to launch the Clark Freeport and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport to their proper niches, as capital- and labor-intensive, export-oriented investment zone for the former; as premier international airport for the latter.
So, where in the world can you find an economic zone and an international airport hosting a hot air balloon festival? Onli in da Pilipins, as the urban idiot is wont to say.
On second thought though, the CDC is right: Hot Air Fest Highlights Clark Role in Tourism. The Freeport and the DMIA be damned.
Ustu ya pero e makatud, as an old Kapampangan adage holds.
