Aside from being the grandest aerosports event in the country, the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta will now also serve as launchpad for international air sports competitions.
Capt. Joy Roa, lead organizer of PIHABF, said that this year’s staging of the ballooning show will also fulfill its new role as training ground for various categories in air sports.
“We are trying to develop a Philippine team in international (air sports) events. This will be like a national team we are building up,” Roa said.
Roa cited in particular the paragliding competitions, one of the exhibition sports in the recently-concluded SEA Games in Thailand. He said that for the first time, the Philippines sent for the first time a contingent in the said sports category that competed in Bangkok last month.
He added that the training and further development of air sports teams in the country is being made in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Patrick Gregorio. He said that his group is also in talks with Airsports Federation of Asia and the Federacion Aerotique Internationale – two of the leading air sports governing bodies in the world.
For the PIHABF scheduled at New Clark City on February 13 to 15, 2026, Roa said that paragliding athletes will also hold a qualifying round for delegations that will make up the Philippine team in worldwide competitions in the said sport.
Dubbed as “A Weekend of Everything That Flies,” this year’s PIHABF will have their regular free flights in the morning and the usual night glow in the evening; a 550-drone show; Hoverbike (man-carrying drone) Demo by Kyze, a Filipino inventor; competitions in Paramotor Beach, FPV Drone Racing, Drone Soccer, Paper Airplane, Kite Flying. Other attractions include RC Airplanes Games, Ultra Lights Flying and helicopter flight demonstration by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy.
