The 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival February 9 to 12, 2012

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The 17th Philippines Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is scheduled for 9th to 12th February, 2012. The annual Hot Air Balloon Festival is one of the most popular events in Clark Philippines.

At least 22 hot air balloons, including some specially-shaped balloons from nine countries, will be the main attractions in this year festivities during the weekend of everything that flies.

Organizers of the Philippine Hot Air Balloon said the balloonists will come from United States, Finland, Sweden, Amsterdam, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The hot air balloon fest is one of the main sports-tourism attractions in Clark which is under the auspices of the Department of Tourism (DoT).

The event is expected to attract more foreign and local tourists this year as more than 100,000 tourists are expected to flock during the hot air balloon festival.

17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta Schedule of Activities.

THURSDAY -  February 9 - FIRST FIESTA DAY

5:30-7:00AM           Opening Ceremony Hot Air Balloon Flight

7:00-7:30AM           Paragliding Exhibition

7:40-8:30AM           Ultra-Light Aircraft Formation Flying

8:30-9:30PM            Ultra-Light Bomb Dropping Audience

                                  Participation

9:30-10:00AM          Skydiving Exhibition

10:00-11:00AM       Kite Flying Exhibition

11:00AM-1:30PM   AOPA Light Airplane Balloon Bursting

                                 Competition

1:30-2:00PM            Sky Diving Exhibition

2:00-2:45PM            Aviation Flying School Fly By

3:45-4:30PM            RC Demonstration Flying

4:30-5:00PM             Paragliding Accuracy Flying

5:00-5:20PM             Ultralight Formation Flying

5:20-6:00PM             Hot Air Balloon Fly-In

FRIDAY - February 10  - SECOND FIESTA DAY

5:30-7:00AM            Hot Air Balloon Flight

7:00-7:30AM            Paragliding Exhibition

7:40-8:30AM            Ultralight Aircraft Flyby

8:30-9:30AM            Aerobatic Flight Display

9:30-9:50AM            RC Helicopter Show

9:50-10:20AM          Fire Fighting Exhibition

10:20-11:00AM        Radio Control Aircraft Flying

11:00-11:30AM        Skydiving Exhibition

11:30AM-12:30PM Ultralight Airplane Bomb Dropping

12:30-1:30PM          Choreographed Kite Flying Exhibition

1:30-2:30PM            AOPA-P Aircraft Flyby

2:15-3:15PM            AOPA Aircraft Balloon Bursting Competition

3:15-4:00PM            Aerobatic Show

4:00-4:30PM            Airplane Banner Towing Demonstration

4:30-5:15PM            Paragliding Accuracy Flying

5:30-6:00PM            Hot Air Balloon Flights

7:00 PM                   Aviators Ball

SATURDAY - February 11 - THIRD FIESTA DAY

5:30-7:00AM            Hot Air Balloon Flight

7:00-7:30AM            Paragliding Flag Flying

7:40-8:30AM            Ultralight Aircraft Flyby

8:30-9:30AM            Aerobatic Flight Display

9:30-10:00AM          Search And Rescue Flying Exhibition

10:00-10:30AM        Helicopter Maneuverability Flight Display

10:30-11:00AM        Sky Diving Exhibition

11:00AM-12:30PM Light Airplane Balloon Bursting Competition

12:30-1:30PM         Choreographed Kite Flying Exhibition

1:30-2:30PM           Ultralight Flying Display

2:30-3:15PM            Flying School’s Fly By

3:15-3:45PM            Skydiving Exhibition

3:45-4:30PM            Aerobatic display

4:30-5:00PM            Paragliding exhibition

5:00-5:30PM            Ultralight Fly By

5:30-5:45PM            RC Airplane Flying Demonstration

5:45-6:15PM            Hot Air Balloon Flight

6:45-7:30PM            Hot Air Balloon Night Glow

SUNDAY - February 12  - LAST FIESTA DAY

5:30-7:00AM           Hot Air Balloon Flight

7:00-7:30AM            Paragliding Flag Flying

7:30-8:30AM            Ultralight Aircraft Flyby

8:30-9:30AM            Flying school fly by

9:30-10:00AM          RC Helicopter Show

10:00-10:30AM        Helicopter Flying Exhibition

10:30-11:00AM        Sky Diving Exhibition

11:00AM-12:30PM   AOPA Light Airplane Balloon Bursting

                                  Competition

12:30-1:30PM           Choreographed Kite Flying Exhibition

1:30-2:30PM             Ultralight Flying Display

2:30-3:00PM             RC Airplane Flying Demonstration

3:00-4:00PM             Aerobatic Exhibition

4:00-4:45PM             Paragliding Accuracy Flying

4:45-5:30PM             Search and Rescue Exhibition

5:30-6:45PM             Hot Air Balloon night glow

7:30PM                     Crew and Awards Night Party

 A weekend of everything that flies! (Hot Air Balloons 2010)

How to get there: NLEX  / SCTEX

Take the North Luzon Expressway from Manila and continue past Dau toll plaza -- but do not take the Dau exit. Pull to the right and take the SCTEX on-ramp. From the SCTEX toll booth, take the southbound lane to Clark South exit. You will be entering Clark through the Yokohama complex. At the stop light, turn right into Roxas highway. The Balloon Fiesta will be to your right.

Look for the reference for a map: 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...a38e78d6f803a5

Getting to the Clark Special Economic Zone by car, take the North Luzon Expressway from Manila and exit at Dau, Mabalacat. Take a left turn towards Angeles City and right turn into Clark. On entering the main gate, proceed along Roxas highway and the Balloon Fiesta will be to your right. Car trips take about an hour and a half from Manila.

Enjoy everyone and have a wonderful balloon festival! 

George Tapan’s winning photo in National Geographic Photo Contest 2011

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"Into the Green Zone", winner in the Places category. A beautiful rainbow after the rain, into the green zone of the Palawan Islands. Location: Onuk island, Balabac Palawan, Philippines (© George Tapan)

Veteran Filipino photographer George Tapan wins top place in the prestigious National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 Places Category for his composition, Into the Green Zone. The contest was judged by National Geographic magazine photographers Tim Laman, Amy Toensing, and Peter Essick.

Tapan’s photograph “Into the Green Zone”with a rainbow after a rainstorm taken in the island of Onuk in Balabac, Palawan. It showcases the real beauty of the Philippines through the beauty of our beaches in Palawan. 
The photo has all the right elements. Tim Laman says Tapan “showed a perfect sense of timing and composition in the way he captured the two small human subjects in this beautiful scene, and that really made the shot.” Toensing notes that the photo “compellingly shows a sense of place” while Essick says “the photographer has documented a sense of style and flair."


The National Geographic Photo Contest is the most prestigious annual International Photo Contest capturing the beauty of the world through captivating imagery.  There were 20,000 photographs submitted by the best photographers in 130 countries for three categories: people, places, and nature. There is a winner in each category and an overall winner among the three category winners.

Congratulations George Tapan for winning the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest 2011 - Places Category!

Visit : National Geographic

EVANESCENCE AND BUSH Live in Manila February 19, 2012

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American rock band Evanescence will be live in Manila on February 19, 2012 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum with the special guest- alternative band from London, Bush.

Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer , pianist and songwriter Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody.

Their group is a rock band, but the twist is that the band's music is epic, dramatic, dark rock,The band's official website classed their musical genre simply as 'rock.’

Ticket Prices:

PATRON(103&101) STANDING (Reserved Seating) – P5810

PATRON SEATED (Reserved Seating) – P5810

LOWER BOX(200 & 201) (Reserved Seating) – P4755

LOWER BOX(202 – 215) (Reserved Seating) – P3700

UPPER BOX A (Reserved Seating) – P2640

UPPER BOX B – P1585

GENERAL ADMISSION – P530

Tickets for Evanescence featuring Bush concert are now available at all Ticketnet outlets. Call 911-5555 or visit www.ticketnet.com.ph  for more details

Music video by Evanescence performing Bring Me To Life

Romi Garduce successfully completes his Seven Summits Quest

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The Philippines finally puts on record a historic feat in the elite adventure sport of mountaineering. This after renowned Filipino mountain climber Romi Garduce officially set foot atop Mt. Vinson Massif in the Antarctic Region on January 5 at 6:45pm, Antarctica time (January 6, 5:45am, Philippine time) – officially completing his historic “Seven Summit” quest after long 10 years.

According to news, Romi’s team has successfully reached the summit of 16,067-foot alpine mountain lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains on a cold -26 degree Celsius weather.

Here’s the list of mountains conquered by Romi Garduce

Mt.Kilimanjaro in Africa (September 2002);

Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina (January 2005)

Mt. Everest in Nepal (May 2006)

Mt. Elbrus in Russia (August 2007)

Mt. McKinley or Denali Peak in North America (June 2008)

Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia (December 2008)

Mt. Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia (July 2011)

Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica (January 2012)

Africa - Mt. Kilimanjaro (2002)- 5,895m

Sept 2002. Garduce on top of Uhuru Peak, Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, East Africa)

 South America - Mt. Aconcagua (2005) - 6,960mJan 1,2005. Summit of Aconcagua with Magnus (Sweden) and Pablo (Argentina), Andean Range (Argentina)

Asia - Mt. Everest (2006) - 8,848mMay 2006 Mt. Everest Summit Photo

 Europe - Mt. Elbrus (2007) - 5,642m

Aug27, 11.02am Local time - Romi made it to the top of Mt Elbrus' West Peak 5642m (Highest in Europe). This is the 4th of the 7 SUMMITS!

North America - Denali Peak (2008) - 6,194m

Post-summit picture of Mt. Denali climb

Australia and Oceana - Mt. Kosciuszko (Dec. 2008) *highest peak in Bass List - 2,228 m

Dec 28,2008. On top of Mt. Kosciuszko

Australia and Oceana - Carstensz Pyramid (July 2011) *highest peak in Messner List - 4,884m

July 22, 2011. Summit Photo

Feast of Black Nazarene January 9, 2012

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The Black Nazarene/
Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno/
Itim na Nazareno

The Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 2012 will have the procession scheduled to start at 8 a.m. after the Mass but, because of the multitudes of those who attend, it is expected to last for 10 to 12 hours.

A grand Fiesta, this festival centers on the image of the Black Nazarene which was transported by galleon from Mexico to Manila in the 17th century. The festival is marked by an afternoon procession by thousands of devotees.

Around eight million devotees flock in Quiapo every year and wear the color maroon and go barefoot in imitation of Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary.

Last  Saturday Malacanang asked devotees of the Black Nazarene to take necessary precautions and refrain from bringing along their children and valuables to ensure an orderly and peaceful celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene Monday, Jan. 9.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte echoed the appeals made by officials of Manila, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to the public against bringing children and their valuables.

"To our elderly devotees, let us also take the necessary precautions," she said.

Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim said the Nazarene procession’s route has been cleared of obstructions, potholes, hanging wires and even broken bottles and the like to ensure the safety of the devotees who will be joining the procession barefooted.

Meanwhile, instead of the usual “namamasan,” priests will be the ones to transfer the 40-year-old image of the Black Nazarene from the altar to its “andas” (carriage) Monday.

Monsignor Clemente Ignacio, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said he will ask the priests to transfer the life-size image of Jesus Christ to prevent chaos during the feast day mass in Luneta.

“The priests will be the ones to carry. This is a first for them,” he said.

“We are requesting the ‘mamamasan’ to wait for the Mass to finish. Don’t rush because the priests are not used to shoving,” Ignacio said in Pilipino.

In the past, the Mass was temporarily interrupted when devotees started climbing the stage to get near the Nazareno image for the procession.

Ignacio said they are hoping that the presence of the priests will help pacify the devotees.

The Quiapo rector appealed anew to the faithful to respect the occasion and Mass. He said devotees need not climb the stage during the Mass as they’ll be given several opportunities to approach the Nazareno such as the “pahalik” (the faithful’ kissing of the feet and hands of the Nazarene image) which will start at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila.

Around eight million devotees are expected to join the annual “traslacion” procession of the Black Nazarene from Luneta to Quiapo Church Monday afternoon.

Traditionally, men are the only ones permitted to hold the ropes pulling the image's carriage, but in recent years female devotees also participated in the procession. People who have touched the Black Nazarene said they  have been cured of their diseases, and Catholics come from all over Manila to touch the image in the hopes of a miracle. Towels and handkerchiefs are wipe on the statue in their hope of a miracle they attributed to the "rubbing off". To some devotees it is their annual rites to beg for forgiveness and renewal of their subscription to God’s grace.