PRO-NIR deploys 2,495 security personnel for MassKara Festival

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – A total of 2,495 security personnel will be deployed to ensure peace and order during the 19-day MassKara Festival here from Oct. 1 to 19.

Police Colonel Joeresty Coronica, director of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), and Police Colonel Dennis Esguerra, acting regional deputy director for administration of the Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), led the send-off ceremony on Tuesday at the BCPO headquarters in Barangay Singcang-Airport, in the presence of festival director Rodney Mitz Ascalon and Executive Assistant Ariel Guides, who represented Mayor Greg Gasataya.

The initial deployment starting Oct. 1 includes 1,320 police officers, 64 personnel from other law enforcement agencies such as the Philippine Army, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 250 force multipliers, 80 rescue and disaster response members, and 270 traffic enforcers, totaling 1,984.

An additional 511 personnel will be deployed during the festival highlights from Oct. 16 to 19, including 300 police from PRO-6 and 211 officers from PRO-NIR.

The troops will cover festival venues, parades, public spaces, transport terminals, and other vital areas.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-NIR spokesperson, said the forces will focus on police visibility, crowd control, crime prevention, traffic management, and rapid response, with specialized units such as K9, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, drone teams, and medical groups also mobilized.

A total of 651 vehicles and equipment will support the deployment, including 51 mobile patrol cars, 16 firetrucks, a mobile command center, a man truck, two prisoner transport vehicles, 43 motorcycles, 27 ambulances, Civil Disturbance Management equipment, drones, and handheld radios.

Esguerra, reading a message from task force commander Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, emphasized the readiness and teamwork of the security forces, urging them to stay alert and healthy.

Ibay stressed the importance of their role in keeping the festival safe and incident-free.

“We are confident that through our dedication and meticulous preparation, this year’s festival will be celebrated at its finest,” he said.

Coronica reminded everyone that while the MassKara Festival celebrates joy and culture, it also requires collective responsibility to maintain safety.

“As we carry out our duties, let us remember the values of professionalism, discipline, and dedication to service. Together, we will prove once again that this city can host not only the most festive and colorful celebration, but also the safest in the nation,” he said.

He urged the public to cooperate with security protocols to ensure a smooth and secure celebration.

During Tuesday’s press briefing, Gasataya said he had initially discussed with the City Council the recommendation for a gun ban, but most of the councilors were not keen to impose it because other festivals of similar scale did not implement one unless significant dignitaries were attending.

He explained that a gun ban only covers legitimate gunholders, prohibiting them from carrying licensed firearms in public places, and said consultations with the council are ongoing.

“We will have to weigh it and check again the perspective of the Council, and finalize the decision,” he said.

Gasataya urged the BCPO to continue tightening security at festival sites and other public places.

Coronica said this is the first time a gun ban will not be implemented during the festival, but stressed that it is not a problem for the police since contingency plans are in place.

“We respect that,” Coronica said.

He also confirmed that signal jamming will not be imposed, similar to last year, to avoid communication disruptions.

Gasataya invited the public to attend the opening of this year’s festival simultaneously at the Bacolod City Government Center and Bacolod public plaza on Oct. 1 at 5 p.m.

“We are all set for the festival opening,” he said, adding that coordination between the city and the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. is ongoing to ensure a more vibrant and inclusive celebration.

“We want to bring back the essence of the MassKara Festival to honor the culture and resilience of Bacolodnons in times of crisis and tragedies,” he added.

Themed “One Smile, One City, One Heart,” the festival is officially organized by the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. led by Ascalon.