By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the opening of the 7th International Mask Arts and Culture Organization (IMACO) International Conference yesterday at the SMX Convention Center at SM City Bacolod. The event gathered approximately 200 delegates from countries around the world.
The event is scheduled to run until tomorrow, November 8.
Opening day featured a policy forum and an academic symposium. Meanwhile, a general assembly is expected to be held today at the Bacolod City Government Center.
Last week, IMACO unveiled a mask exhibit at SM City Bacolod, which features more than 400 masks from 22 countries, including the Philippines, South Korea, China, Thailand, and Indonesia.
According to Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the mask representing Bacolod City is “distinctive,” claiming it is the only “smiling mask in the world.”
“[The] smile is an icon of Bacolod,” he said. “Bacolod deserves to be called the ‘city of smiles.’”
The exhibit is expected to run until December 26./DGB, WDJ