MassKara Festival performers join the street dancing at Madison Avenue in New York City during the 125th Philippine Independence Day Parade on Sunday, June 4. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
BACOLOD CITY — Thousands of New Yorkers and Filipinos cheered as MassKara Festival performers from this city danced their way down Madison Avenue in New York City during the 125th Philippine Independence Day Parade on Sunday, June 4.
“The performance of the Barangay Granada MassKara dancers was world class. It was a proud moment for Filipinos and Bacolodnons,” said Bacolod Councilor Jason Villarosa.
“They kept up their lively performance even when their music got cut off,” he added.
The New York event was dubbed as the world’s largest Philippine Independence Day Parade outside of the Philippines.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was appointed Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. honorary grand marshal, invited those present to visit Bacolod City, especially during the MassKara Festival in October.
“Bacolodnons are resilient, happy, and courteous people that is why Bacolod is called the ‘City of Smiles,'” he said.
Benitez also met with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and US Senate Majority Floor leader Chuck Schummer at the event.
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