Not even a storm can stop Bacolod students from dancing for Masskara

DANCING IN THE RAIN Rains dumped by Tropical Storm Ramil on Saturday fail to stop students from taking part in the school category competition of Bacolod City’s MassKara Festival, won this year by the contingent from Estefania Elementary School. —RONNIE BALDONADO

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines—Rain-soaked learners from seven elementary schools in this city, wearing smiling masks and costumes in vibrant colors, danced to festive MassKara Festival music on Saturday despite a heavy downpour spawned by Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen).

Estefania Elementary School, with a performance aptly dubbed “Dancing in the Rain, Through a Child’s Eye,” bagged the grand champion title in the MassKara Festival 2025 arena and street dance competition school category.

Mayor Greg Gasataya, in his speech during the awarding rites, congratulated Estefania Elementary School for its inspiring victory and joyful dancing despite the rain, calling their performance “a testament to Bacolod’s creativity, teamwork, and the enduring MassKara spirit.”

READ: The enduring smile of MassKara: A festival of resilience and unity

MassKara Festival, which this year carried the theme “One smile, One city, One heart,” began in 1980 to lift the spirits of Bacoleños grieving the loss of about 78 of their kin who died or went missing in the sinking of the Bacolod-bound MV Don Juan on April 22, 1980, which collided with oil tanker MT Tacloban City in Tablas Strait, off the coast of Mindoro.

Switched up

This year’s competition began with arena performances at the Paglaum Sports Complex before the contingents brought their performances to the streets. It also marked the return of the arena and street dance competition school category after six years.

Festival director Rodney Ascalon said the decision to switch up by starting first with an arena performance before the street dance was meant to create a more engaging showcase for both performances.

Estefania Elementary School went home with P750,000 from the city government and another P20,000 from Dito Telecom for the championship title.

The 1st runner-up was Paglaum Village Elementary School, which won P300,000 plus P10,000 from Dito Telecom, while the 2nd runner-up Asuncion L. Lizares Elementary School (ALLES) won P200,000 plus P5,000 from Dito Telecom.

The winners of the minor awards were; best in community dance–Paglaum Village Elementary School–P30,000; most disciplined contingent–Paglaum Village Elementary School–P30,000; best in theme and concept–Estefania Elementary School–P30,000; best in music–Estefania Elementary School–P30,000; best in mask and costume–ALLES–P30,000; and best in introduction video–Paglaum Village Elementary School–P30,000.

Special Awards winners were: Kapuso choice award–Estefania Elementary School–P30,000; Sunsilk Hairkada head-turner award–Paglaum Village Elementary School–P25,000 and Pocari Sweat “Be at Your Best Moment” award–ALLES–P30,000.

Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya also announced that participating contingents would each receive P150,000 as an incentive, on top of the P500,000 they each got from the city government to cover production costs. /cb