Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced the extension of the 45th MassKara Festival until Thursday, October 31 to give kiosk owners and other tenants the opportunity to earn more following the inclement weather brought by Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” last week.
“This has been done in the past. The festivities were also extended when there were typhoons and rains, so we’re doing the same thing,” Benitez said in an interview after the opening of the Electric MassKara Float and Elektroika Diva competition at Bacolod City Government Center on Saturday night, October 26.
“We don’t want the storm to happen. It’s beyond our control but we understand,” he added.
The inclement weather ahead of the festival highlights adversely affected sales in the past week.
Benitez said the festivities will continue until Thursday at three sites only — Bacolod City Government Center, the Bacolod Public Plaza and Megaworld’s The Upper East.
Festival events along Lacson Street, one of the city’s major thoroughfares, will end after midnight on Sunday.
Benitez had requested the Sangguniang Panlungsod to hold a special session today to approve the partial closure of roads in the three festival sites from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. until Thursday.
The festival’s extension to four more days will also give more time for Bacolodnons to enjoy the celebration.
The MassKara Festival was supposed to culminate with the Street Dance and Arena Competition yesterday afternoon.
Republic Act 11146, which declared Bacolod’s Charter Day on June 18, 1938, provides that the highlights of the MassKara Festival should be held every fourth Sunday of October.
Earlier, Councilor Celia Flor, chair of the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Markets, raised concerns about the struggles faced by kiosk renters at the Bacolod City Public Plaza, one of the festival sites.
Due to rainy weather last week, she said, many vendors have seen low sales, not enough to recover their kiosk rental expenses, which currently stand at P25,000.
In response, Flor requested Bacolod Yuhum Foundation for a rental discount, suggesting that fees be lowered to a range of P12,000 to P15,000.
She believes this adjustment could help ease the financial burden on vendors.
The kiosks at the public plaza opened for business on October 12, but poor weather has affected vendor earnings, prompting the appeal for relief.
Meanwhile, Benitez said the turnout of revelers for this year’s MassKara Festival is “one for the books again.”
“The crowds were record-breaking during the opening weekend,” he said.
“When it comes to peace and order, no major crimes have been reported,” the mayor added.
Granada bagged championship
Barangay Granada has again bagged the championship in the 45th MassKara Festival Street Dance and Arena Competition at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City yesterday.
Taking home a grand cash prize of P1 million, Granada bested six other barangay participants in the competition.
Granada also bagged several special awards, such as Best in Music (with P25,000 cash prize), Best in Theme and Concept (P25,000), Best in Mask and Costume (P25,000), and Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Choice Award (P15,000).
Barangay Bata was declared 1st runner-up, taking home a P500,000 cash prize, while Barangay 12 was named 2nd runner-up with a P300,000 cash prize.
Elektroika Diva and float competition
Nikka Marie Peñol, representing Barangay 39, emerged victorious as this year’s MassKara Elektroika Diva, taking home the crown and P75,000 cash prize on Saturday night.
First runner-up Ashley Nicole Belnas from Barangay 29 and second runner-up Althea Judema from Barangay Pahanocoy received P30,000 and P25,000, respectively.
In the Electric MassKara Float Competition, Barangay 29 also clinched the top spot with a stunning Saphirrus-inspired float designed by Jovic Gordillo and John Joseph Suarnaba.
Barangay 29’s Punong Barangay Leonard Pascua expressed his disbelief at his win.
“I’m speechless. It was unexpected because we had many struggles before the competition, especially with the heavy rains that almost hindered all our preparations,” he said.
Barangay 29 took home a cash prize of P300,000, while Barangays Pahanocoy and 17 bagged P200,000 and P150,000 in cash as first and second runners-up, respectively./ With Jen Baylon, PNA / WDJ