Bacolod ready for MassKara Festival weekend finale

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By Dolly Yass

BACOLOD CITY — Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya personally inspected major festival sites on Thursday night, Oct. 16, as the city prepared for the culminating weekend highlights of the 19-day MassKara Festival, which runs from Oct. 17 to 19.

“To make sure that everything is safe and in order for our MassKara Festival highlights, I personally went around Lacson Street and the Public Plaza to see the city’s preparations,” Gasataya posted on his official social media page.

“All seems set and in order for the enjoyment of everyone, and we’re all excited,” Gasataya said.

He assured that safety and order remain top priorities as thousands are expected to flock to Bacolod for the festival’s most anticipated events, including the Electric MassKara float parade, the “Heartonic” Music Festival, and the street and arena dance competitions.

More than 500 additional police personnel from the Police Regional Office 6 and the Siquijor Police Provincial Office arrived in Bacolod on Oct. 16 to augment the city’s security force.

The reinforcement brings the total number of security and emergency personnel deployed for the festival to nearly 2,500, including members of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), and volunteer force multipliers.

At the Lacson Tourism Strip, where the “Heartonic” MassKara Music Festival will take place from Oct. 17 to 19, organizers have prepared an evacuation plan in coordination with police and emergency units.

Site Director Mark Raymund Garcia said five evacuation areas and exit points have been identified near the festival’s main stage clusters along BS Aquino Drive, 17th Street, 13th Street, 7th Street, and Aguinaldo Street.

“We’re ready and have prepared an evacuation plan, considering the tremors felt the past days or in case of flooding,” Garcia said during a press briefing.

“Marshals will guide everyone through safe lanes marked with glow tape and barricades, and re-entry will only be allowed once safety officials give the all-clear,” he said.

The weekend festivities opened Friday night with the Electric MassKara Float Competition, featuring 12 participating barangays parading illuminated floats from Megaworld’s The Upper East to the Bacolod Government Center for a dance showdown.

The floats will later be returned to The Upper East for public viewing.

Simultaneously, the “Heartonic” MassKara Music Festival is expected to draw massive crowds with performances by about 50 local and national artists, including James Reid, Dionela, Alamat, The Juans, and Sandwich.

Organizers describe the event as “a vibrant fusion of music, lights, and digital art,” capturing the high energy and spirit of Bacolod’s world-famous festival.

At the Bacolod Public Plaza, the grand finals of “Singkara: The Voice of Bacolod” also took place Friday night, adding to the city’s entertainment lineup.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, the School Category of the MassKara Street and Arena Dance Competition will feature performances from seven elementary schools, including Don Rodolfo A. Medel Sr. Elementary School, Rizal Elementary School, and Andres Bonifacio Elementary School II.

The Barangay Category follows on Sunday, Oct. 19, with contingents from 10 barangays, among them Handumanan, Bata, Tangub, and Barangays 6, 7, 11, 13, 21, 29, and 39.

Festival Director Rodney Ascalon said this year’s dance competitions will follow a new format, with all groups performing their full routines first at the Paglaum Sports Complex before taking their performances to the streets.

“The new format ensures that both judges and the public can experience the best of MassKara in two powerful stages,” Ascalon said.

The celebration will culminate with the announcement of winners and a symbolic community dance at the Bacolod Public Plaza.

This year’s MassKara Festival — the first under Mayor Greg Gasataya’s administration — is organized by the Bacolod Gugma Foundation, headed by Festival Director Rodney Mitz Ascalon.

Garcia stressed that the inter-agency coordination among the city government, PNP, BFP, CDRRMO, and volunteer groups has been strengthened to ensure a safe and memorable experience for residents and visitors alike.

“As we enter the final weekend, everything is set,” Gasataya said. “We’re ready to welcome everyone to Bacolod — to enjoy, to smile, and to celebrate safely.”