INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The organizers of the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF) on Thursday reiterated that it will not push through with the anticipated “A Weekend of Everything that Flies” this year, to give way for a bigger event in 2015.
“Preparation for the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is a major undertaking…From the perspective of the PIHABF organizers, our 2013 event (featuring more balloons than ever, the highly impressive Breilting Jet Acrobatic Team, and the myriad of other flying, ground and static events) would be a hard act to follow without allowing sufficient time to plan, prepare and book new and interesting activities,” the group said in a statement sent to media.
It denied it had anything to do with reports that a balloon event will be held in Clark Pampanga in April 2014, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism (DOT).
“We believe that by suspending the 2014 Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, allowing our organizing committee more time to secure a suitable venue for the fiesta and investing more time in planning, securing sponsorships and implementing enhancements, we can offer our public spectators a truly safe and world-class event in 2015,” it said.
PIHABF expressed concern that the said event in Pampanga, led by a certain Ronnie Tiotuico of the DOT Regional Office, may not have had the luxury of time to “learn the processes and preparations for this kind of activity.”
“We hope that the organizers of the April 2014 event, headed by Mr. Ronnie Tiotuico, have carefully looked into the many safety requirements and issues involved in staging an event of this scale…We hope they are not misrepresenting their expertise in implementing an airshow to prospective sponsors, participants and especially the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP),” the group said.
PIHABF explained that it has worked for an “admirable safety record” and that they are worried that “any untoward incident (from the Clark event) would impact on the good name of PIHABF organizers.”
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