Sapphire MassKara Festival preparations reach final stages

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Preparations for the Sapphire MassKara Festival are in full swing as various events near completion, with local authorities ensuring peace and order throughout the celebration.

Bacolod Yuhum Foundation officials, led by president Katherine Matiling and cultural director Kuster Cadagat, along with Bacolod City Councilor Jason Villarosa, chair of the city council committee on tourism, and representatives from the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), held a press conference Thursday to update the public on the upcoming festivities.

The festival will officially kick off on October 11, 2024, with a Grand Countdown Salubong, featuring more than 65 events until October 27, 2024.

Most activities will take place at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.

Cadagat highlighted concerts by popular bands and celebrities as key attractions. The much-anticipated Street Dance and Arena Competition is set for October 27 at the Paglaum Grandstand.

However, this year’s competition will feature only seven participants instead of the usual 10, as some groups from last year failed to liquidate subsidies provided by the city government. Despite this, the city will still offer a P700,000 subsidy to each participant.

SECURITY MEASURES

Lt. Col. Romeo Vargas, head of the BCPO city operation and management unit, confirmed that security preparations are well underway.

The BCPO plans to deploy approximately 1,800 police officers to ensure peace and order across the festival’s four main event venues, with reinforcements from other units.

Vargas noted that their recommendation to impose a gun ban is pending approval as part of their preventive measures.

Additionally, a proposal to implement signal jamming—despite negative feedback from last year—is still under consideration.

Councilor Villarosa shared that First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos had requested the lifting of the signal jamming last year, as it disrupted communication during her visit.

Mayor Alfredo Benitez was also affected, missing a scheduled activity with the First Lady due to the signal interference.

MISS BACOLOD MASSKARA PAGEANT

Cadagat also announced that Mayor Benitez has approved retaining the title of “Miss Bacolod MassKara” for the pageant, instead of renaming it to “Miss Bacolod.”