Bacolod mayor says MassKara deficit is more than P6M

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said that there will be an overhaul of officials of the Bacolod Yuhom Foundation Inc. (BYFI) handling the MassKara Festival of the city.

Benitez, who was with Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri when the latter was on a project inspection sortie in the city, on Saturday told reporters that YFI’s deficit is not only P6 million as declared by the foundation spokesperson Maria Ester “Mate” Espina.

“It’s more than that,” Benitez said.

When asked who paid for it, the mayor responded “Who else?”

The mayor reportedly paid more than P20 million for the deficit of the MassKara Festival 2022 handled by BYF.

In a press conference last week, Espina said that BYFI raised P80 million for the 2022 Masskara Festival from sponsorships and events but in the final count, it incurred losses of a little over P6 million.

She also said that if BYFI will again be given the opportunity to handle this year’s festival, the activities will be streamlined and the tenure will be shortened.

Espina said that the suggestion is to hold the festival from October 6 to 22.

She further said that in principle, Benitez offered the management of the festival to the BYFI but it is still waiting for the approval of the Sangguniang Panglunsod.

When asked about this, Benitez said that BYFI will still handle MassKara Festival 2023, but there will be a “complete overhaul” of its officials.