FROM UNPLACED TO UNSTOPPABLE: Inclusivity wins big at Miss Bacolod MassKara 2025

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Inclusivity took center stage at this year’s MassKara Festival as 19-year-old Sophia Kaye Zaragoza, a freshman tourism management student from the University of St. La Salle (USLS), was crowned Miss Bacolod MassKara 2025.

Representing Barangay Estefania, Zaragoza outshone 14 other aspirants in the prestigious pageant.

She impressed both judges and the audience with her eloquent response to Miss Philippines Universe 2024 Chelsea Manalo’s question on how beauty can serve as a force for healing and transformation in the community, especially with the MassKara Festival symbolizing hope amid adversity.

“By uniting as one,” Zaragoza said, “I believe that Miss Bacolod MassKara is not only about beauty, looks, and intelligence, but about purpose — and that is to make people feel included and that they belong.”

She added that this year’s festival embraced marginalized sectors, such as persons with disabilities (PWDs), pets, and the LGBTQ+ community.

“When people feel that they belong, we create a marketplace of creativity and ideas — leading to endless possibilities,” she said.

Zaragoza was crowned during the coronation night held on Oct. 12, marking a triumphant return after going unplaced in last year’s competition.

She was crowned by First Lady Maita Gasataya, joined by Mayor Greg Gasataya, Miss Bacolod 2024 Princess Ella Olmilla, and businessman Ian Lo.

The newly crowned queen received PHP 150,000 in cash and was named ambassador for Myra and The SM Store.

Zaragoza also swept several major and corporate awards, including Best in Festival Costume, Best in Costume Design, and EP Studio Miss Photogenic for her vibrant Ati-Atihan-inspired attire.

She also became the first recipient of the Legacy Media Award, a new honor presented by the local press for outstanding media presence and public engagement.

Organizers described her victory as a “sweet comeback,” symbolizing perseverance and growth in her pageant journey.

Beyond pageantry, Zaragoza is carving her path in entrepreneurship, following in the footsteps of her mother.

Ysabella Wuthrich was named first runner-up, earning PHP 100,000.

A newcomer to pageantry, she won hearts as a crowd favorite and bagged the Digital Media Award along with nine corporate awards.

Second runner-up honors went to Mary Angelique Faye Caballero, who stood out by winning Best in Swimwear, Miss Congeniality, and Best in Production Number.

She received PHP 50,000 in cash prizes.

The Miss Bacolod MassKara pageant remains a centerpiece of the MassKara Festival 2025, organized by the Bacolod Gugma Foundation and led by Festival Director Rodney Mitz Ascalon.

This year’s celebration emphasized community, diversity, and creativity, echoing the festival’s legacy of resilience and joy.

Rooted in Bacolod City’s history of overcoming adversity, the festival has evolved into a powerful platform for inclusivity, where people from all walks of life come together in shared joy and expression.

As the city dances to the beat of colorful parades and pulsating music, the spirit of inclusivity serves as a force for healing past wounds and transforming communal pain into collective strength.

The MassKara Festival, known for its vibrant masks and festive spirit, is more than just a celebration — it is a symbol of resilience, unity, and hope.

By embracing diversity and honoring every voice, the MassKara Festival becomes not just a cultural event but a transformative experience that reaffirms the community’s identity, restores its spirit, and inspires a future built on empathy, unity, and joy.