CLARK FREEPORT– At this early, talks are ripe that the holding of the hot air balloon fiesta next year will again be reverted to this freeport contrary to the recent pronouncement that the dirigibles pose danger to air traffic at the nearby Clark International Airport (CIA).
Officials of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) have confirmed that there are ongoing negotiations for the restaging of the hot air balloon in 2015 here. CDC Tourism and Promotions Department Manager Noemi Garcia said “consultations with the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Foundation, Inc. (PIHABFFI) for a grander balloon fiesta are underway, with the 2013 event being used as a benchmark.”
The 2013 Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is considered the biggest and most successful sports-tourism event since its introduction in 1994, with the participation of the Breitling Jet Team as the highlight.
The PIHABFFI, headed by Capt. Joy Roa, has been at the forefront of hosting Hot Air Balloon Fiesta here every February, drawing tens of thousands of local and foreign visitors. But Roahas figured in a controversy over his failure to liquidate millions of pesos in government funds which subsidized the hot air balloon festivals.
This year’s holding of the hot air balloon festival in Barangay Prado Siongco, Lubao, Pampanga on April 10-13 is located some 33 kilometers away from the CIA.
“We decided to transfer the venue in view of the air traffic situation in aviation-related activities at the Clark International Airport where around nine international and domestic airlines now operate and flying in and out from various destinations around the world,” said Noel Castro, chairman of the newly established Pilipinas International Balloon Festival Inc. which will henceforth manage and operate ballooning events.
“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-fly zone for balloons,” Castro added.
Luciano contradiction
But in a text message to PUNTO!, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose “Chichos” Luciano said he will endorse the restaging of the hot air balloon fiesta in this freeport next year.
“Yes we will endorse that subject to the approval of CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) on safety issues and for as long as the events will not interfere with flight operations of our nine airlines in Clark,” Luciano said.
Three years ago, in yet another text message to media, Luciano declared: “This year, 2011, the CIAC has not joined the Hot Air Balloon (Festival). We believe that the project is not in focus with the priorities of CIAC which are to accelerate the development of the airport and woo more airlines to fly to Clark.”
Adding: “For 2010, when CIAC became a partner in the project, through my own efforts, singlehandedly I raised P5.5 million from sponsors which very well covered the P3.5 million payment to Joy Roa.”
Aside from the kaleidoscope display from the hot air balloons, other events, during the so called “Weekend Of Everything That Flies,” include sky diving, hang gliding, ultra-light planes, aerobatic precision flying, light airplane rally, helicopter flight demo, remote controlled aeromodellers as well as kite flying, among others.
A CDC statement said over the years, the hot air balloon festival has been supported by Roa’s PIHABFFI, CIAC, Philippine Air Force (PAF), CAAP, United Parcel Service (UPS) and the Department of Tourism.
CDC and PIHABFFI officials are looking forward to a bigger 2015 hot air balloon festival that will surely draw a record crowd, Garcia said.
