Philippines
Organizers expect 200,000 visitors to grace 43rd MassKara Festival in Bacolod City
Organizers expect 200,000 visitors to grace 43rd MassKara Festival in Bacolod City
BACOLOD CITY -- The celebration of the 43rd MassKara Festival here has officially begun Saturday, Oct. 1.
City officials led by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo ‘Albee’ Benitez and Congressman Greg Gasataya welcomed the festivity during the kick-off ceremony held at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
Singer-songwriter Rico Blanco performed before the Bacolodnons at the BCGC, leading to the countdown and fireworks display on Friday, Sept. 30.
Benitez, in a media interview, said they have planned for a better MassKara Festival for a couple of months.
He said that even Filipino communities abroad are expressing interest and excitement for the festival.
He said that all accommodations here, particularly during the highlights of the festivity on the third week of October, were all fully booked.
High on the list of visitors are President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and his family, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Vice President Sara Duterte who will be gracing the occasion, according to Benitez.
Benitez said they are expecting 200,000 visitors to come to the City of Smiles, and witness the Bacolodnons ‘Smile Again’ (Balik Yuhum), which is this year’s theme.
Benitez said they are also expecting the festival to generate an estimated P5 billion worth of revenue.
The festival, which was suspended for two years because of the pandemic, will run from Oct.1 to Oct. 23.
Six flying figures which formed part of the installation art conceptualized by Charlie Co in collaboration with Neil Benavente and 10 other artists for the 43rd MassKara Festival can be seen in front of the BCGC.
The installation art entitled “Soaring High: The Power of Imagination,” was unveiled on Friday, Sept. 30. The inspiration of Soaring High took its flight in Dubai where Charlie was one of the Filipino artists featured in the Dubai World Expo last year.
“We are bringing this message home that with imagination, with resiliency and with our talents, Filipinos can make it on the global stage,” Charlie said.
The six flying figures looked like superheroes taking off to do battle in the skies and Charlie said it is reminiscent of the overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who are facing the unknown when they decide to leave our country to provide for their families. Yet, through perseverance and sacrifices, they’ve made it.’
All the figures were sculptured by Benavente while Charlie painted the central figure. Bry Cervantes and RA Tijing, Jun Jun Montelibano and Jay R Delleva, BillyBoy Abonado and Ayla August, Jovito Hecita and Red Santilian, and Anika Marie Loquite with HR Campos III were paired to collaborate in painting the rest of the five flying men.
“Soar high, think big as there are limitless possibilities around us. At the center of it all, inculcate love for self and love of country and we hope this new installation will inspire us to work for the future of our city, of our nation,” Charlie said.
Meanwhile, more than 2,500 bikers clad in their best Masskara costume flooded the streets for the first MassKara costume fun ride on the first day of the festival.
The fun ride was open to bikers’ 15-years and older who traversed a 20-kilometer stretch which started from the BCGC at 5:45 a.m. Raffle prizes which included a Trek Mountain Bike as the major prize were given to the winning participants.