About 20,000 attendees expected at PHL hot air balloon fiesta

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said the hot air balloon fest to be held over the Valentine’s weekend in Tarlac is estimated to attract about 20,000 attendees, boosting the province’s economy.

“We are expecting, if the weather forbids and gets better, six or seven thousand [attendees per day],” BCDA Vice President for Investment Promotions and Marketing Erwin Kenneth R. Peralta told reporters on the sidelines of a briefing on Thursday.

The Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF), now in its 26th year, will take place at New Clark City (NCC) in Tarlac on Feb. 13 to 15, 2026.

The event will feature 22 special-shaped balloons to be flown by international pilots from the United States, the United Kingdom, Macedonia, Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium, among others.

From its launch in 1994 until 2018, the PIHABF was held in Clark, Pampanga.

“It usually averaged around max of 10,000 per day, that was the historical figure – more or less around 30,000 in three days… Because the 10,000 figure was in Clark, in the center of Clark,” Mr. Peralta said.

“Hopefully it offsets the distance from Clark Freeport Zone to New Clark City. The exits that we’ve opened and the roads that we’ve built guarantees everyone has access with car, with public transportation,” he added.

The BCDA will also offer free shuttle services in SM City Clark, Clark International Airport, Bamban Cloverleaf, and Capas Municipal Hall from 5:00 AM to 10:30 P.M to attract more participants.

“Transportation was a key factor, that was a big concern last time. Now, we are offering free shuttle services,” he said.

“They just need to board, because they can purchase the ticket on-site. Some still don’t have tickets because they don’t know how to purchase online,” he added.

Beyond the festivity, the PIHABF is also seen as a means to help small businesses in the province.

“The food stalls, the amount of jobs that are generated for this weekend alone is huge…We will have a lot of food from Tarlac that you will experience and taste. It’s giving jobs to the restaurant owners,” he said.

“There are also hotels in Capas that they could also stay which is nearer compared to Clark Freeport Zone. That’s the effect of an event like this,” he added.

The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Corporation has warned motorists of heavy traffic during the three-day event scheduled from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

BCDA IN SPORTS TOURISM
In line with hosting the country’s longest-running aviation sports event, the BCDA disclosed that it will focus on sports tourism by developing NCC as the sports capital of the Philippines.

“As you can see, our stadium is internationally accredited…We also have an expansion, a partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission for a 20-hectare property for tennis, for multi-sports development in New Clark City,” Mr. Peralta said.

“It took us 20 years or more to develop BGC (Bonifacio Global City) so, it will be a little bit longer, but hopefully in my lifetime, our lifetime, we could see the full development of New Clark City,”  he added.

The BCDA, in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DoT), is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March for sports development initiatives. — Almira Louise S. Martinez