Bacolod celebrates Masskara Festival

BACOLOD CITY—Throngs of people gathered here on Sunday to celebrate the MassKara Festival, which showcased the creativity and talent of Negrenses, and the vibrant culture of this city.

Defending champion Barangay Granada was again the overall winner of the 44th MassKara Festival street dance and arena competition held along Araneta Street and at Paglaum Sports Complex.

The crowd favorite Granada dancers won P1 million for their fast-paced, lively and seamless performance that drew cheers and loud applause from the audience. They also went home with P75,000 more for winning the best in headdress, mask and costume, best in music, and best in theme awards.

Granada, whose dancers performed at the Philippine Independence Day in New York in June, was also the arena and street dance competition grand champion in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2022.

The troupe’s choreographers were Joedem Casabuena and Mark Philip Lamirez, while its costume and mask designers were Joenel Buenaventura and Christopher John Puerta.

First runner-up was Barangay Tangub that won P500,000, and second runner-up was Barangay Sum-ag that won P300,000 and P25,000 for best introduction.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who described the MassKara performances as world-class, also gave P100,000 each to the seven other nonwinning participating barangays.

READ: Bacolod’s MassKara dancers enliven PH Independence Day in New York

Its beginnings

The MassKara Festival began in the 1980s as Negros Occidental reeled from a sugar industry crisis that caused a drop in prices to an all-time low and the sinking of MV Don Juan that took the lives of many Bacolodnons.

The festival of smiling masks was held to lift the spirits of Bacolodnons who needed to rise from the twin tragedies.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who spoke at Sunday’s arena competition at Paglaum Sports Complex, said that the festival, born at a time of famine and tragedy, was Bacolod’s way of telling the world that it would make it.

“The wearing of masks painted with happy faces has become the symbol of your determination. Your determination to never let circumstances dictate your response. Your strength to pull through, no matter the odds,” he said.

“Bacolod, when you take off your mask, you are no longer faking it. You have become it. You have become hope, happiness and thanksgiving,” he added.

Also present at Paglaum were Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and other city officials.

The three-week MassKara Festival drew thousands of people to its six major venues. INQ