CLARK FIELD, Pampanga–Aside from the grand spectacle of seeing gigantic floating balloons dotting the sky, this year’s Hot Air Balloon Fiesta also aims to promote aviation as a career.

Twenty-five hot air balloons of different shapes and sizes took off this morning here for the opening of this four-day event.

These balloons were flown into the country by cargo firm UPS from participant countries including Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, France, United States of America, United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, Netherlands and Malaysia.

Touted as the country’s biggest aviation event, the event also includes skydiving, paragliding and kite-flying exhibitions by military and privately-run flying clubs.

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IT was when I was around 14 years old I remember buying my first Swatch. I saved enough from my allowance along with discount coupons cut out from newspapers at that time.

The only place I know where to buy one was in SM North in Quezon City–specifically in the Annex area because I’ve seen a Swatch store when our teachers took us there during a class field trip to Manila.

A field trip then wouldn’t be complete without a visit to an SM mall.

I never went to Manila on my own before then, but in previous trips (by car or bus) I’ve always figured out that once you’ve seen it you know you’re already in Manila.

And so I skipped class one morning and instead hopped on a bus bound for Cubao, told the conductor to drop me off at SM North, hopped on the bus a few hours after and was back in Tarlac in time to show off my brand-spanking new Swatch to high school buddies who may have thought I was sick that day.

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Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

HOW lucky are you in the year of the Ox?

Being born under a different sign, I decided to visit this store in Binondo called Charm General Merchandise to get some answers.

Lucky for me, store owner Maxima Tiu was kind enough to explain the lucky charms for this year.

“Ox symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. People under this sign are born leaders and have the ability to achieve great things,” says Tiu.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

THE streets of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas at the Makati Central Business District (CBD) burst into a sea of colors during the 2009 Caracol festival on January 17.

Hundreds of students from Makati City schools and university clad in nature-inspired costumes joined the Caracol parade, which started at about 4 p.m. and the competition at around 5:30 p.m.

Like in 2005, the students convened at the Gabriela Silang carpark on Ayala and Makati avenues at 3 p.m.

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By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

HOW can you sell a “sustainable lifestyle” and help save the environment? Answer: Echostore.

Founded by Reena Francisco of the Figaro Foundation, Jeannie Javelosa–writer-artist and Board of Trustee Member of the Yuchengco Museum, and Chit Juan, co-chair of the Philippine Coffee Board, Echostore offers products that are proudly Philippine made.

Echostore offers green products from “Malunggay” pesto to biodegradable detergents.

During my interview with Juan, she confesses it is a challenge putting up a store that sells green products. So far, however, they have received an overwhelming response.

“We are espousing a sustainable lifestyle,” Juan said.

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IT was like seeing an army of ants climbing up a colony – only imagine it to be chaotic, more than a few stepping on heads and shoulders in order to touch a moving target.

In a predominantly Catholic country, religious festivities such as this are commonplace but the Feast of the Black Nazarene definitely stands out in terms of scale. This year’s estimates put the number of attendees by the millions.

During this day, the image of the Black Nazarene is paraded from Quiapo Church around Manila’s city streets and back. This year, though, the mass was held instead at the Quirino Grandstand (fronting Luneta or Rizal Park), followed by a procession leading to Quiapo Church.

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By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net

IS it possible to find in the Philippines a church like Vatican’s Sistine Chapel?

Yes. In the town of Guagua in Pampanga, one can find Betis Church.

Inside the Baroque-inspired church, one can be transported back in time by the ceiling paintings and wall murals that are comparable to the frescos of Sistine Chapel’s ceiling done by Renaissance masters.

Standing at the nave of the church, one can see the ceilings, walls and the retablo styled with paintings and murals of the Holy Family, selected scenes from the bible, Catholic saints and cherubs.

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FILIPINO celebrity kids Paul Salas, Jane Oineza, Eliza Pineda, Kristel Fulgar and Micah Torre pick their favorite dinosaur and talk about lessons they learned from the Dinos Alive World Tour currently open to visitors at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Philippines. Watch this video report of INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Izah Morales.

By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

SERVING ham especially during the holiday season will surely make your family smile. But after the celebration, you often have ham leftovers. Don’t fret. Chef Ricky Cordova of the American Hospitality Academy shows how you can transform that ham leftover into a soup with your favorite monggo.

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THE Filipinos’ festive celebration of Christmas begins as early as September. No wonder the Philippines has been known as the country with the longest celebration of Christmas. Filipinos would decorate their homes with garlands, Christmas lights, belen and the Parol or the lantern – which are symbols that represent the spirit of Christmas

The Parol, for instance, is a symbol of the guiding light which wise men followed during their journey to find Jesus Christ. But symbols go hand in hand with traditions that people practice. Christmas is not complete without the caroling, Simbang Gabi, Noche Buena, and the “Mano Po Ninong at Ninang.”

Truly, Filipinos celebrate Christmas like no other.

INQUIRER.net VDO presents these Christmas messages.

May the true spirit of Christmas be etched in your hearts.