 In 1994, three years after the devastating effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption, Tourism Secretary Mina Gabor, together with Korean businessman and hot-air balloon pilot, Mr.Sung Kee Paik, and British Airways General Manager, Mr. John Emery, and the German aviation enthusiast Max Motschmann engineered the first ever Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta to help jumpstart the local economy and spirit of the Central Luzon region with the commitment of developing hot air ballooning as an aviation sport in the country and making the Philippines one of the leading sports aviation and travel destinations in the Asia Pacific region.The 1994 event originally organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Hot Air Balloon Club, the Clark Development Corporation and British Airways initially began with 21 balloon pilots from 10 countries and one entry from the Philippines, represented by Capt.