Hot Air Balloon festival slated

MANILA, Philippines - Thirty-two hot air balloons of various shapes and sizes will spice up the 19th staging of the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival set Feb. 12-15 at the Philippine Air Force ADAC Hangar in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga.

Aviators and aviation enthusiasts from around the world gear up for another thrilling weekend of fun, surprises and flying activities, including hot air ballooning, aerobatic exhibitions, skydiving, powered paragliding, aviation formation, search and rescue flight demonstrations and balloon bursting.

Also on tap after the 6 a.m. balloon launch are non-stop flying exhibitions, which include skydiving, motorized paragliding, aerobatics, formation flying, radio-controlled model flights, kite-flying, and rocketry, before the balloons fly in again at 5:45 p.m., weather-permitting.

Earlier this year, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) president Arnel Casanova, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) president Arthur Tugade, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president, (then) chief executive officer Victor Jose Luciano, and Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Foundation Inc. (PIHABF) president Capt. Joy Roa signed a memorandum of agreement at the Asian Air Safari hangar in Pasay City to hold the annual balloon fiesta.

Among the traditional and special-shaped balloons are Old MacDonald’s Farm, Maximus the Beagle Dog, Burnie the Little Devil, Upside Down Balloon, Miss Daisy, Old Lady & the Shoe, Little Girl and Little Boy, Pink Elephant, Octopus and Vincent Van Gogh.