A high-profile and potentially record-breaking New Year’s Eve balloon drop was cancelled after protesters campaigned against the 130,000 balloon stunt.
The record attempt was due to take place at a NYE party being held at a Manila Cove resort in the Philippines and headlined by British DJ Pete Tong.
The event was cancelled after a backlash over its potential ecological impact, despite organisers insisting that the indoor event held no environmental risks as the biodegradable latex balloons would be recycled afterwards and not released into the air.
The resort’s social media pages had been inundated with concerns, from members of the public as well as campaigners such as Greenpeace Philippines. It also received a letter from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) encouraging a change of plan. One of the petitions calling for the cancellation had collected tens of thousands of signatures.
In a statement announcing the cancellation, the resort said it ‘voluntarily’ decided to cancel the event ‘as a sign of respect’ for the government’s campaign to protect the environment.
